There is an 'atmosphere' for BJP to form govt in Karnataka: BSY

Bengaluru, Feb 5: The Karnataka government on Tuesday launched the Janasevaka scheme in a few municipal corporation wards to ensure home delivery of various services like ration cards, senior citizen identity and health cards.

The scheme, which was launched by Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa, will pertain to 53 services involving 11 departments.

"Janasevaka under the Sakala scheme is a programme to avail the benefits of government schemes at the doorstep. Our objective is to make the lives of the citizens of Karnataka easy by launching this scheme," the Chief Minister said. Sakala aims to ensure in-time delivery of government services to citizens by practising innovative and efficient management systems through capacity building in government and empowering citizens to exercise their right to service.

Minister for Sakala and Primary and Secondary Education S Suresh Kumar said: "The scheme that was implemented in Dasarahalli area on a pilot basis will now be extended to Mahadevapura, Bommanahalli and Rajajinagar areas."

He added that it will benefit the senior citizens of the city.

If the scheme works well, it will be implemented across Bengaluru in all the 27 assembly segments, Kumar said, adding that based on the experiment in Bengaluru, it will be extended to Mysuru, Mangaluru and Hubballi-Dharwad.

Under the scheme, there will be one volunteer in each ward. These volunteers have been outsourced. A toll-free helpline has been set up for this scheme which will work from 8 am to 8 pm.

A sum of Rs 115 will be charged to provide the home delivery services.

In addition to it, the Karnataka government has also decided to seek information under the RTI Act easy by making it online.

People can apply from home by paying the fee online. This will make the process hassle-free, the Chief Minister said.

Kochi, Mar 2: The Vatican has rejected the second appeal by Sister Lucy Kalappura -- one of the nuns who protested against rape accused Bishop Franco Mulakkal -- against her expulsion from Franciscan Clarist Congregation (FCC).

In her plea, she had demanded that her version be heard and her expulsion from FCC revoked.

She was expelled from FCC for participating in public protests demanding the arrest of Franco Mulakkal in the nun rape case.

''I got a letter from Vatican which says my appeal has been rejected. But the rest of the letter is written in the Latin language. So after I understand it, I will respond," Sister Lucy told news agency.

''The authorities are contemptuous of those who make such complaints. That is why the letter is written in Latin. Sister Lucy would continue her legal fight in the courts,'' said George Moolechalil, who has been authorised by Sister Lucy to communicate with the media on her behalf.

A petition of Sister Lucy is still pending at Mananthavady Munsif Court at Wayanad that demands that she should not be expelled from the convent where she is staying.

Bengaluru, Apr 7: With reporting of 12 positive cases of COVID-19 since last evening, including three women, the total number of confirmed cases in Karnataka increased to 175, including four deaths.

According to official sources, while three fresh cases of COVID-19 were reported from Bengaluru, two each had been reported from Bagalkot, Kalaburagi and Mandya, followed by one each at Gadag and Bengaluru Rural districts.

After a gap of over three weeks, two more fresh cases had been reported from Kalaburagi, which had reported the first death of the country.