Modi, Shah likely to address rallies in Udupi, Mangaluru, Uttara Kannada ahead of 2018 polls

Mangaluru, May 31: Karnataka BJP president MP Nalin Kumar Kateel has claimed that there has been no differences of opinion within the state BJP.

"The BJP-led government will complete its term under the leadership of B S Yediyurappa," Kateel told media persons in the city on Saturday.

“A few MLAs had met and discussed the developments in North Karnataka. There is nothing wrong in discussing development keeping in mind the party's interests.”

Indiscipline within the party will not be tolerated. Strict action will be initiated against those who indulge in such activities by the party High Command, he warned.

The government, led by Yediyurappa, has carried out good works in the state. All the MLAs are supporting the chief minister. All the MLAs are in contact with me, claimed Kateel.

Bengaluru, May 18: Karnataka education minister S Suresh Kumar on Monday announced the SSLC examination dates. Earlier, Karnataka SSLC examinations were to be held between March 27 and April 9, 2020, but had to be postponed due to the outbreak of Covid-19 pandemic and the subsequent lockdown.

The minister announced that Karnataka Secondary Education Examination Board (KSEEB) will conduct SSLC examination between June 25 to July 4 and the PUC exam for English paper will be held on June, 18, 2020.

"Examinations for Secondary School Leaving Certificate (SSLC) will be conducted between June 25 and July 4 in Karnataka. Exams for English paper of Pre-University Course (PUC) will he held on June 18: Karnataka Education Minister S Suresh Kumar," ANI tweeted.

The minister for primary and secondary education had held a meeting with the department officials to discuss the feasibility of conducting the exam.

Modalities of conducting the examination in the current situation of the COVID 19 pandemic while taking care of interests of students is of paramount importance, S Suresh Kumar said adding these issues have been kept in mind while finalising the schedule.

With inter-state and inter-district mobility a major issue with public transport not available and also due to 14-day institutional quarantine norms, the minister had told TOI that an idea has been introduced to allow students appear for the examination in the district where they presently are than at their designated examination centre.

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.