Why Mangaluru ignored under Vande Bharat Mission?

Bengaluru, Apr 11: Seven more people have tested positive for coronavirus taking the tally to 214 in the state.

"Coronavirus cases rise to 214 in Karnataka, with seven more people testing positive between 5 PM Friday and 12 PM Saturday," said the Karnataka health department.

According to the health department, all these seven people have a history of contact with COVID-19 patients. Five of them are workers of a pharmaceutical company in Mysuru.

"Out of the total cases in the state, six people have died while 37 others were cured or discharged," added the state health department.

Bengaluru, Apr 30: The Karnataka government on Thursday decided to allow migrant workers, tourists, students and others stranded in different parts of the state due to the ongoing lockdown to return to their native places, a day after the Centre issued guidelines for the process.

This will be a one-time movement and the government would arrange buses for those in need but they should bear the expenses, Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister J C Madhuswamy said. He also said people willing to return to the state would have to undergo tests for COVID-19. The decision was taken at the state cabinet meet and it might come into effect from Friday as the Chief Secretary will have to issue an official order, he said.

"Prime Minister Narendra Modi had taken decision on movement of people and the Centre had issued a circular in this regard. Following this we have decided to permit interstate and inter-district movement," he told reporters here.

Travel expenses should be borne by those willing to return and if they want the government can provide buses from the state transport corporations. The Union Ministry of Home Affairs on Wednesday issued orders allowing migrant workers, tourists, students and other people stranded in different parts of the country to move to their respective destinations with certain conditions, giving a big relief to the distressed people. Decision on opening of salons and liquor shops will be taken after May 3, he said.

Madhuswamy said permission would be given for one-time movement of labourers and others who want to go from one district to other for work or any other purpose. Those operating industry or establishment and want to move from place to place for management purpose will be given passes with strict scrutiny and through checks.

Responding to a question, the minister said, "we don't know yet how many are willing to go, where they will go, if some one asks for permission, we will permit." "One family or two or three people want to go, they can use taxi. If too many people want to go, we will provide facility through transport corporation buses," he said.

Bengaluru, Apr 28: Former Karnataka chief minister Siddaramaiah on Tuesday suggested that the government can allow sale of liquor in green zones. 

“Merely because there is an economic slowdown in the state, I don’t recommend that alcohol should be allowed to be sold. But, wherever there are green districts, they can open (liquor sale) with certain restrictions, I think,” Siddaramaiah, the leader of the Opposition, told reporters. 

There are 14 districts in the state that are categorised as green because they do not have any active COVID-19 cases. The green districts are: Yadgir, Raichur, Koppal, Haveri, Davangere, Shivamogga, Chitradurga, Udupi, Chikmagalur, Hassan, Kodagu, Chamarajanagar, Ramanagara and Kolar.

There is tremendous pressure on the B S Yediyurappa administration to revive the economy as the lockdown has dried up all revenue sources. Excise, alone, accounts for 18 per cent of Karnataka’s own tax revenue. 

The Excise department recently suggested allowing regulated sale of liquor through the state-run MSIL outlets. The government, however, did not approve it fearing crowding and backlash from the Centre.