Karnataka HC judge Justice Jayant Patel resigns, no reasons cited

Bengaluru, Mar 7: Karnataka Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa on Friday said that the Upper Krishna Project (UKP) will be completed within the next three years.

Speaking in the Assembly, the Chief Minister said: "After discussing with the officials of the finance department, we have decided to allocate Rs 10,000 crore funds for the third phase of UKP. This project will be completed within a span of three years."

Yediyurappa also said that the government will hold talks for additional funds from the Central government.

The leader of Opposition, Siddaramaiah, interrupted and said that the CM has announced this just to gain the confidence of MLAs from north Karnataka.

"The government could have announced it in the budget itself or else the Chief Minister could have announced it at the time of discussion on the budget. Where are the funds with the government to complete the project? CM has announced this just to gain the confidence of MLAs who hail from north Karnataka," said Siddaramaiah.

Deputy Chief Minister Govinda Karajol while speaking to the media welcomed the Chief Minister's statement and said that the earlier government didn't allocate a single penny in the last seven years he added.

Tumakuru, Jul 7: Coronavirus is spreading at the community level in Karnataka, said minister, JC Madhuswamy on Monday.

"Medical condition of eight infected with coronavirus admitted in Tumkur COVID Hospital is critical. There is no guarantee of their lives as per the information. We somewhere feel we are worried that coronavirus is spreading at the community level," Madhuswamy, Tumakuru district-in-charge minister, told reporters here.

"We have reached a point where it is difficult for the district authorities to restrain it, even though we are trying to restrain it. Somewhere the situation is going out of hand," he said.

The minister confirmed that the cumulative toll in the district due to COVID-19 rises to 9.

Earlier, Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa, Deputy CM Ashwath Narayan, Medical Education Minister Dr Sudhakar have denied of community transmission of coronavirus in Karnataka.

According to the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, there are 23,474 coronavirus cases in Karnataka including 13,255 and 372 deaths.

Bengaluru, Apr 27: Former Prime Minister H D Deve Gowda on Monday demanded that the Karnataka government announce a special package for farmers who are on the verge of quitting agriculture as their profession following losses due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

"Please announce special package for the farmers to bail them out of the loss due to the lockdown.

Drop many of the schemes in the budget but don't leave the farmers in distress," Gowda said in his letter to Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa.

The JD(S) supremo said the way relief has been announced for the milk producers by procuring the unsold milk and distributing it to the slum dwellers, the same assistance should be provided to the farmers of the state.

"If you don't come forward to assist the farmers, then they will be forced to sell their land," Gowda cautioned the Chief Minister.

The former prime minister said the farmers are on the verge of falling in the debt trap and may be compelled to take the extreme step of suicide due to the losses.

Gowda said the farmers are unable to sell their crop because they are not getting proper price for their produce and are selling their crop at a throwaway price to minimise their losses.

"In just one month farmers reached the brink of bankruptcy as they are unable to sell the standing crops in lakhs of acres of land," Gowda said.

The JD(S) supremo has been championing the cause of farmers in the state and highlighting their sufferings.

On April 3 Gowda has appealed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi to look into the plight of farmers, labourers and the middle class people due to the lockdown.

"In such times of crisis, we should see to it that there is no disruption in farming activities by ensuring proper marketing channels to agricultural produce, especially perishables.

Only then we can sustain our long battle against this pandemic," Gowda said in a tweet.