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Bengaluru, Jun 10: Internet connectivity, provided under the central government's BharatNet initiative, will be improved in rural areas of Karnataka in the next two to three months, said Deputy Chief Minister CN Ashwath Narayan.

After video conferencing with heads of different agencies and officials, on improving the quality of internet in rural areas, Ashwath Narayan said, "I reviewed the progress of the BharatNet implementation and the steps to be taken to improve the quality of internet connectivity in the next two to three months."

"We also discussed the possibility of giving the implementation of BharatNet to a different agency. We will seek permission from the central government and continue the project. We will ease communication with rural people by ensuring quality and high-speed internet to all Gram Panchayats," he added.

When BSNL officials and other agency representatives who attended the video conference shared their problems, the Deputy Chief Minister assured to solve them through proper coordination.

"Through BharatNet, several government schemes are being implemented in rural areas. Civic service centres are issuing birth and death certificates, Aadhaar cards and social security pensions among others. Of the total 6,000 Gram Panchayats in the state, 4,000 have high-speed internet connectivity, and the remaining will be provided with better internet connectivity through a new agency,'' said Ashwath Narayan.

Additional Secretary (e-governance) Rajeev Chawla, Additional Chief Secretary (IT-BT) EV Ramana Reddy, Principal Secretary (RDPR) Uma Mahadevan, Director (IT) Meena Nagaraj, Collegiate Education Director Pradeep and other senior officials were present in the meeting.

Mangaluru, Jun 12: A pregnant woman who returned from Maharashtra and tested positive for coronavirus on Wednesday, gave birth to a child at the Wenlock COVID-19 hospital in Mangaluru. After she experienced labour pain, a team of expert doctors performed the delivery through the caesarean section on Thursday.

Both the woman and the new born are safe, hospital sources said. The woman, who belongs to Kinnigoli in Dakshina Kannada district, had arrived in the city on Monday. She was in an advanced stage of pregnancy and was taken to another hospital the next day after she complained of weakness.

As she came from Maharashtra, she was shifted to a separate ward at the Wenlock hospital and quarantined. Her throat swab samples tested positive on Wednesday. A COVID-19 test will be done on the baby after a few days, district health officer Ramachandra Bairy said.

Mangaluru, May 4: Bunder Shramika Sangha (BSS) general secretary B K Imthiyaz on Monday urged the district administration to restart Bengre ferry and passenger boat services as it has affected the wholesale market in Old Port.

A majority of the labourers engaged in loading and unloading at the wholesale market in Old Bunder hail from Bengre area. Without the ferry service, the labourers cannot come to work, said Imthiyaz.

He said no positive cases had been reported from Bengre area. Thus, the district administration should give permission for operating ferry services between 7 am and 12 noon.