Induct MLC Pratapchandra Shetty into Karnataka Cabinet; make him Udupi in-charge: Youth Cong

coastaldigest.com news network
June 14, 2018

Udupi, Jun 14: The local unit of Youth Congress has urged the party high command to make Udupi’s lone Congress MLC K Pratapchandra Shetty a minister in the coalition government led Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy.

Speaking to media persons here Kundapur Youth Congress Committee president Ichitartha Shetty said that Udupi district, wherein Congress lost all the seats to BJP in recent assembly polls badly needs a representation in government.

“Pratapchandra Shetty is the senior-most Congress leader in Udupi district. He was Congress MLA from Kundapur Assembly Constituency for four terms from 1983 to 1999. Since then, he had thrice been elected as MLC from the local bodies constituency. His appointment had become necessary as the Congress had lost in all five Assembly seats in the district in recently polls,” he said.

Despite being the senior-most legislator, Pratapchandra Shetty had never sought or lobbied for Ministerial berth and not objected to other Congress leaders such as Vinaykumar Sorake and Pramod Madhwaraj becoming Ministers. He had not taken any other positions such as chairmanship of boards or corporations. He had always supported Mr. Sorake and Mr. Madhwaraj, when they were Udupi district in-charge Ministers. He had served as president of Dakshina Kannada District Congress Committee, when Udupi was part of Dakshina Kannada district, during testing times for the Congress.

Hence, Pratapchandra Shetty was well known in both the districts. He was now the lone elected legislator (MLC) of a major community, Bunts, from both these districts in the Congress. He was not facing any charges of any kind of corruption or irregularities and he always worked along with party workers. His appointment as a Minister would enthuse the Congress workers in Udupi district, he said.

Instead of appointing any outsider as Udupi district in-charge Minister, it would be better if Mr. Shetty was inducted into the Cabinet and appointed as district in-charge Minister. His long innings as an MLA and MLC meant that he was aware of all the problems in the district, Mr. Ichitartha Shetty said.

Ramesh Shetty, Nataraj Holla, Sampath Shetty, Vijay Poojary, leaders of Kundapur Youth Congress, were present.

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zahoor ahmed
 - 
Thursday, 14 Jun 2018

His age not allowed him to work actively. So give preference to youth, even if he is outsider. 

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News Network
March 30,2020

Bengaluru, Mar 30: The nationwide lockdown has left the state on the brink of a fresh agrarian crisis.

The lack of transport facilities spells doom for ready-to-harvest grapes worth Rs 500-600 crore in Bengaluru Rural, Chikkaballapur and Kolar districts. Unable to find buyers, several farmers have begun dumping their produce into compost pits.

On Sunday, Munishamappa, a farmer in Chikkaballapur, emptied four truckloads of grapes into the pit as buyers didn’t turn up due to the lockdown. “If the grapes wither and fall to the ground, it will affect the soil’s fertility and I will be forced to dispose of them,” he said.

Venkata Krishnappa, Munishamappa’s son, said their 1.5-acre vineyard yielded 25 tonnes of grapes. “Just before the lockdown, 10 tonnes were harvested and delivered to the market. Due to lack of transport, buyers haven’t turned up for the remaining 15 tonnes which we are dumping into the pit.”

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Anjaneya Reddy, a farmer leader, said that in Chikkaballapur alone, they have cultivated grapes on 2,000 acres. “Even if you consider 15 tonnes per acre as yield, there are about 30,000 tonnes ready to be harvested in the district. At a market rate of Rs 50 to Rs 60 per kilogram, the net worth will be Rs 200 crore to Rs 300 crore. And if you consider the crop in Kolar and Bengaluru Rural, grapes worth Rs 500 to Rs 600 crore are at stake,” he explained.

The ‘Dilkush’ grapes is the most preferred variety of domestic consumption, according to the farmers.

This apart, farmers would have invested about Rs 3 lakh to 4 lakh per acre on fertilisers, pesticide and labour. “With markets being shut and no of the transport facilities available, farmers are forced to dump their produce into pits. It is high time the government intervened and provided us with market options so that farmers can sell at an affordable price of Rs 30 to 40,” Reddy said.

Somu, a farmer in Ganjam village of Srirangapattana, dumped two tonnes of chikku (sapota) citing market shutdown in Mandya. Reddy appealed to the government to emulate the Maharashtra model where the government is helping farmers market fruits through Hopcoms or dairy units as nutrient supplements to people.

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News Network
February 17,2020

Mangalore, Feb 17: The Popular Front of India (PFI) on Monday took out a march in Mangalore's Deralakatte without seeking permission, police said.

"They were only given permission for a programme but they took out a march from Madaninagar to Deralakatte," said ACP Kodanada Rama.

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News Network
July 14,2020

Udupi, July 14: Due to rising COVID-19 cases in this district, Deputy Commissioner G Jagadeesh on Tuesday, announced that the border will be sealed down from July 15.

Speaking to newsmen here on Tuesday, he said “Inter-district travelers will not be allowed to enter Udupi for 14 days from 8 pm on Wednesday, however, we won’t be imposing complete lockdown in the district.”

The decision was taken in the meeting held in his chamber in which Legislators Haladi Srinivas Shetty (Kundapur), Sunil Kumar (Karkala), Rghupathi Bhat (Udupi), Sukumar Shetty (Byndoor), among others were present.

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