Manipal: Over 5,500 participate in hand-washing event for world record

Bengaluru, May 9: The Karnataka government may not extend the daily working hours from 8 to 12, with Labour Minister A Shivaram Hebbar saying on Saturday that the move would neither benefit the industries nor workers.

Hebbar said that the proposal has not been discussed and it may come for final deliberations next week. He also noted that some States have already extended the working hours. More than extending working hours, there should be employment to be given. If there are no jobs what can be done by extending working hours? If it is done (working hours extended to 12 hours), it would neither benefit workers nor industries. Let's see what happens, he said.

Asked if the government was in favour of the extension, he said, "I don't think it will be ready for the (12 hour) proposal." Meanwhile, the Minister also said that their top priority now was to see that all MSMEs start operating again, salaries are paid to employees and there are no job losses for any reason. If industries don't reopen, how can workers get their employment? We should think in parallel, Hebbar said adding, the government was keeping the interests of both MSMEs and workers in mind.

He urged the Centre to offer a relief package to the MSME sector, saying it is facing very difficult times due to the adverse impact of the COVID-19-induced lockdown, and also noting its role in generating large-scale employment and feeding large industries.

The BJP-led government has done whatever within its limitations to help the MSMEs, he said. Earlier this week, the Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa announced that the monthly fixed charges of electricity bills of MSMEs would be waived for two months. MSMEs have suffered huge production losses due to the lockdown. It takes some time for them to revive, Yediyurappa had said. The Chief Minister had also said payment of fixed charges in the electricity bills of the large industries will be deferred without penalty and interest for a period of two months.

Bengaluru, Jun 25: In the wake of unexpected surge in the coronavirus positive cases in Bengaluru, the special task force team assigned with the task of creating Covid Care Centres (CCC) has made elaborate arrangements the Haj Bhavan.

Civic authorities have already shifted around 50 Covid-19 patients to Haj Bhavan. 

BBMP Commissioner B H Anil Kumar said on Thursday that due to an increase in the number of cases and due to shortage of beds in hospitals, the Haj Bhavan has been converted into CCC.

Headed by Rajendar Kumar Kataria, Secretary, Horticulture and Sericulture department, the CCC task force has arranged 400 beds at Haj Bhavan. 

“The facility at Haj Bhavan has already been made operational. Doctors, nurses, paramedical and house-keeping staff from BBMP have been deployed as per SOPs. All essential equipment, medicines and other facilities have been made available in adequate numbers at the Haj Bhavan,” Kataria explained.

In the second phase, the task force team has identified hostel rooms of seven engineering colleges, which would fetch about 3,200 beds to house asymptomatic Covid-19 patients. 

If need arises, the task team in the third and final phase, will consider the facilities such as Palace Grounds, Bengaluru International Exhibition Centre, Indoor Stadiums at Kanteerava and Koramangala to be converted as CCC.