Ration card registration: SMS procedure leaves citizens in lurch

Bengaluru, May 4: Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) president DK Shivakumar on Sunday condemned the arrest of women Congress leaders who were marching to Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa's house demanding action against BJP MLAs "caught" repacking food materials meant for Anganwadi children and pregnant women.

Taking to Twitter, Shivakumar posted pictures of the incident and wrote, "Strongly condemn the arrest of women congress leaders who were marching to the CM's house to ask for action against BJP MLAs caught repacking food materials meant for anganwadi children and pregnant women. Earlier, held a protest and PC demanding arrest of those involved in the scam."

Earlier on Sunday, Former Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah claimed that BJP leaders are "stealing" government grocery packets, pasting their photos and providing them to "well off party workers".

Taking to Twitter he wrote, "It is unfortunate that BJP leaders are exhibiting their political cruelty even during crisis. They are stealing govt food & grocery packets to paste their photos and then give it away to their well off party workers."

"Aravind Limbavali and other BJP leaders are caught branding themselves through the government distributed food packets. Nothing is more disgraceful and shameful than this. They should be made to resign & should be arrested," he wrote.

He further asserted that the Karnataka Chief Minister is directly responsible for the leakage. He has allowed his party workers to siphon off poor people's food.

"Shashikala Jolle (Minister of Women, Child Development and Empowerment of Differently Abled, Senior citizens, Govt of Karnataka) should immediately resign for her laxity and allowing her party people to steal from Anganwadi," he added.

Bengaluru, May 29: Karnataka Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister J C Madhuswamy on Thursday said the Centre has objected to the state's decision to increase working days at factories, and the matter would be discussed in the next cabinet meeting.

"....the Centre has raise objection to extending working days and has said it should be brought down. We will amend it....I will share the details after the next cabinet meet, the matter did not come up today (Thursday), we have received the letter," Madhuswamy told reporters in response to a question after the cabinet meeting.

He noted that a couple of states that had increased the working hours have withdrawn it. The Karnataka government had, on May 22, issued a notification allowing factories to extend working hours upto 10 hours a day and 60 hours a week till August 21. The extension of work hours is from the existing eight hours a day and 48 hours a week.

Pointing out that while announcing COVID-19 relief package, the Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa had announced Rs 5,000 per acre for maize farmers, Madhuswamy said while issuing the circular which mentioned that relief would be applicable to rabi crop, as it would not benefit many farmers.

Now, it has now been decided to give Rs 5,000 per acre to all maize farmers, irrespective of rabi or kharif. There were also several rules and regulations for barbers, autorickshaw and taxi drivers among others to claim their one-time compensation of Rs 5,000, the Minister said.

"We have decided to relax most of them (rules) other than those essential and give compensation, as regulations wouldn't have benefited many," he said. With five nominated seats of legislative council falling vacant on June 23, the cabinet has authorised the Chief Minister to nominate for 5 seats.

The cabinet also gave post-facto approval for Karnataka Repealing of Certain Enactments and Regional Law Bill 2020 that has been passed by the legislature.

Mangaluru, May 25: D V Sadananda Gowda, Union Minister for Chemical and Fertilizer, has once again written to the Ministry of External Affairs urging to take steps to operate more repatriation flights from Gulf countries to Karnataka. 

In his second letter in 10 days addressed to Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, Union Minister for External Affairs, expressed regret over not giving due priority for the repatriation of Kannadigas in the middle east during the extended second phase of Vande Bharat Mission. 

"I shall be grateful if you could personally intervene and instuct the concerned in arranging flights to Mangaluru and Bengaluru from Gulf countries in existing schedule itself," Mr Gowda urged Mr Jayashankar.