BJP confident of retaining Udupi-Chikmagalur Lok Sabha seat

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.

Jun 19: BJP leader Devendra Fadnavis on Thursday said Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray should sign an agreement with neighbouring Karnataka to avoid a repeat of flood in part of the state like it happened in August last year.

In August 2019, Kolhapur, Sangli districts and some other parts of the state faced unprecedented floods triggered by huge release of water from dams in western Maharashtra and from the Almatti dam in Karnataka.

Fadnavis said, The Maharashtra chief minister should hold an urgent meeting with the Karnataka chief minister and enter into an agreement over-discharge of water from the Almatti dam located on the border of both the states."

If water is not released from the Almatti dam in time, it will cause flooding in border areas of Maharashtra such as Kolhapur and Sangli.

"A pact between the two states would benefit both as it would help in keeping water levels in control, the former chief minister said.

The dams in the state already have sizeable water stock. It would be better if the chief minster schedules a meeting with the Karnataka chief minister regarding the same (agreement), the Leader of Opposition in the assembly said.

Belgaum, Jan 1: Police detained a group of around eight people who were allegedly trying to hoist 'Uttara Karnataka flag' in Hire Bagewadi area here on Wednesday.

This comes amid tensions between Karnataka and neighbouring Maharashtra over the border issue with protests on both sides, which have also led to the cancellation of bus services between the two states.

Protesters in Belagavi burnt an effigy of Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray, following which Shiv Sena workers had launched a protest near the Kolhapur bus stand on Sunday, and burnt an effigy of Karnataka Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa.

The long-standing border dispute between the two states over is pending before the Supreme Court for several years.

On December 7, Thackeray had chaired a high-level meeting over the border dispute between two states. It was decided in the meeting that attempts will be made to get fast track hearing in Supreme Court on the issue.