Forget 50,000 Dalits, BJP's Yatra fails to attract 500; Amit Shah escapes

Bengaluru, Apr 13: Eminent scientist and NITI Aayog member V K Saraswat said on Monday the number of COVID- 19 cases is not going to go beyond what's being reported daily in India as he maintained that the country is in the process of flattening the curve.

The former Scientific Adviser to Defence Minister said the coronavirus positive cases have seen a sharper rise in the last four-five days because of increase in the number of testing.

"It's a good sign; all those asymptomatic cases lying hidden they are also coming out," Saraswat told PTI. "We certainly had a catalytic factor which was basically this (Nizamuddin) Markaz problem which has actually created clusters at different places and that has also been one of the factors for the kind of rise that has taken place."

But he said India is in a much better shape compared to other nations in the battle against COVID-19. "I can only say that the rate is not going to go beyond what has been going on now, may be 700 to 800 cases per day. So, we are in the process of flattening the curve."

The government's decision to declare nation-wide lockdown has paid dividends, Saraswat, a former chief of the Defence Research and Development Organisation, said.

Noting that India has seen a series of virus attacks in the last 15-20 years including Chikungunya and Dengue, he said the emphasis now should be on more and more R & D to find vaccines in advance.

Bengaluru, Mar 6: The Karnataka Congress on Thursday termed the budget for fiscal 2020-21 presented by the B.S. Yediyurappa government as the "weakest ever state budget".

"This is the weakest budget ever that our state has had. There is no clear cut provision in the budget for industrial growth or to generate jobs. No clarity on department wise allocation," tweeted Congress.

Congress leader Dinesh Gundu Rao said he did not expect such a bad budget which has discriminated on agriculture and education sectors.

"The state budget does not mention major irrigation projects like Kaveri valley and Krishna. No farmers loan waiver," noted Rao.

The opposition party has criticised the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) that the potential of Karnataka was not realized to generate revenue through this budget.

Assailing the additional tax on petrol and diesel, Congress said the development will lead to price rise and is a huge disappointment.

"People are reeling under high inflation and reduction in income. BJP has rubbed salt into injury by further increasing prices and providing no relief to common man," said the party.

Bhalki MLA and Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee working president Eshwar Bhimanna Khandre pointed out that the Centre gave the state only Rs 1,869 crore, despite a loss of Rs 35,160 crore in 2019.

Calling stamp duty reduction for housing within Rs 20 lakhs as an insult to people, Congress questioned the Chief Minister and BJP to first show where in Bengaluru does one get housing within Rs 20 lakh.

"This is mockery of people. No mention or allotment to universal housing programme that Congress government had delivered," claimed Congress.

Focusing on Karnataka capital Bengaluru, Congress slammed the BJP saying no proper revenue policy has been mooted.

"Last mile connectivity issue not addressed. Drinking water issue is not mentioned. No mention of peripheral ring road. No mention of Akrama-Sakrama and no thought process has gone in while planning Bengaluru," tweeted the party.

The party said Yediyurappa has admitted that there is a financial crisis in his budget speech.

"He admits Rs 8,883 crore aid has been cut, around Rs 11,000 crore state share from Centre has been cut. No additional allocation for flood relief. What is stopping him and 25 members of Parliament to question the centre," observed Congress.

Former chief minister Siddaramaiah mocked Yediyurappa that though he calls himself a farmer''s son, he delivered an anti-farmer budget.

"No one will benefit from this budget. A complete failure to boost the economy, to realize inclusive development and to improve standard of living," he tweeted.

Bengaluru, Apr 9: A special task force--set up by the government of Karnataka--submitted a report to the Chief Minister of Karnataka BS Yediyurappa, putting forward recommendations suggesting minimisation of restrictions in districts where there is nil or minimum cases, here on Wednesday.

The committee said: "COVID-19 and non-COVID-19 patients should be segregated and online health services should be encouraged. Restrictions should be minimised in districts where there is nil or minimum cases of COVID-19 and lockdown should be continued in hotspot areas with quarantine measures strictly being implemented."

With regards to the testing of likely patient, the committee informed that rapid test kits would help to quarantine more likely patient. "The rapid test kits will arrive in April 12. These kits will boost our facility and would help us in quarantining the more people."

On the subject of lifting transportation ban, the committee suggested that the transport of goods and services must continue but with regards to passenger carriers, they are suspended till April 30.

"Goods and Transportation should be allowed, but passenger carriers should be banned until further orders. No buses, trains nor flights will be plying till April 30. No metro trains and auto-rickshaws should be allowed and an odd-even system transport system should be implemented," the committee added.

The committee also suggested that all industries, IT, BT and Garments should be made to work on 50 per cent strength. Garments workers should be allowed to stitch PPEs, which are in more demand. And for construction workers, the committee suggested that they should be allowed to work at sites at 50 per cent strength.

They suggested that educational institutions remain closed till May 30 and online classes must be encouraged.

Dr. Devi Shetty heads the Taskforce and Dr. C. N. Majunath, Dr. Nagaraj, Dr. Ravi and Sudharshan were also the part of the committee.

According to the Ministry of health and family welfare, 181 cases have been reported in the state so far. A total of 5,734 positive cases have been reported of which, 166 are dead and 473 are cured/discharged and migrated.