BENGALURU: The State government has agreed in principle to regularise the services of pourakarmikas who are working on direct payment basis in various urban civic bodies in the state. A committee of senior officers, law department officials and representatives of pourakarmikas would be constituted to implement it in accordance with legal provisions, Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai said on Friday.

Bommai, who chaired a meeting to discuss the problems of pourakarmikas on Friday, said that the proposed committee would submit its report within three months. “Pourakarmikas deserve social dignity and security. The state government would respond to their woes with a humane approach. Their monthly remuneration has been hiked to Rs 2,000”, Bommai said. Special recruitment rules would be framed to simplify pourakarmikas appointment.

Pourakarmikas want CM’s written assurance

The pourakarmikas would be provided housing loan facility, their children would be covered under the Vidya Nidhi scholarship scheme and women pourakarmikas would get maternity benefits, Bommai said. However, the protesting pourakarmikas are insisting on a written assurance from the CM as a condition for calling off their strike.

P P Appanna, General Secretary AICCTU, Karnataka Chapter, who is supporting the agitation says the strike would continue. “The protest will continue. As long as nothing comes in black and white from the government, the protest will not be called off.”Hundreds of pourakarmikas staged a protest at Freedom Park in Bengaluru on Friday. Shivanna Mysuru, President, Karnataka State Nagara Palike, Grama Sabhas and Pattana Panchyat Pourakarmika Maha Sangha who is spearheading the protest said garbage loaders, cleaners, drivers and underground drainage workers working as contract labourers should be given permanent job status.

Civil society members from across Karnataka have written an open letter to the CM urging him to meet the demands of the pourakarmikas. Permanent status, better working conditions, homes, health and education to their children are some of the demands made to the CM.

No adverse impact: BBMP
BBMP Solid Waste Management Commissioner Harish Kumar told TNIE that the strike did not have any adverse impact on the collection of waste on Friday. He added that 4,200 tonnes of both solid wet waste was collected.

BENGALURU:  After Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai’s meeting with officials last week to chalk out ways to ease Bengaluru traffic, a detailed project report on four new flyovers submitted by the BBMP got the greenlight from the state government on Monday. The city at present has 44 flyovers.

The Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike officials said that the palike has received Rs 404 crore for the flyover project. Ittamadu, JC Road, Sarakki and West Of Chord Road flyover projects will be taken up at an estimated cost of Rs 230 crore and will have to be completed in 18 months.

“This apart, seven flyovers will be upgraded. The development works are being taken up under the state government’s ‘Amrut Nagothana’ scheme. The JC flyover will be an interesting project as once complete, it will operate on the lines of the City Market Flyover with double side vehicular movement,” said Lokesh, Chief Engineer, Projects.

As per the report, BBMP will spend Rs 40.50 crore for the Ittamadu to Kamakya junction, an estimated Rs 30.64 crore for the Basaveshwara Nagar to West of Chord Road, Rs 20. 64 crore for the JC Road to Hudson Circle and Rs 130 crore on the Sarakki Junction to Kanakapura Main Road. The CM had directed officials to go for synchronisation of traffic at different parts of the city last week and asked them to decongest the city.

BBMP to hand over two proposed flyovers to BMRCL
Bengaluru: The BBMP will hand over two flyovers that intersect with the Outer Ring Road (West) line of Phase-3 project of Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL) with immediate effect. These can be integrated into the Metro project right away, said BBMP Chief Commissioner Tushar Girinath. After a meeting to sort out contentious issues between the two agencies, Girinath said, “They can begin work on the flyover shortly. For the other five flyovers, BMRCL said there was no problem and we can go ahead with construction work immediately.” 

Minister for Religious Endowment, Hajj and Wakf, Shashikala Jolle

Bengaluru: The Karnataka government on Monday gave its nod to the ‘Kashi Yatra’ project offering a cash assistance of Rs 5,000 to each of the 30,000 pilgrims willing to take up a pilgrimage to Kashi Vishwanath Temple in Varanasi in Uttar Pradesh.

In its order, the government authorised the religious endowment department commissioner to utilise Rs 7 crore sanctioned for the Kashi Yatra’, as read out in the budget speech by Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai under the accounts head of Assistance to Manasa Sarovara Pilgrims’.

In a statement, the Minister for Religious Endowment, Hajj and Wakf, Shashikala Jolle said those willing to avail themselves of the benefit should be the native of Karnataka and have to furnish proof of their domicile of origin in Karnataka such as their voter ID, Aadhaar Card or ration card.

The applicants should be above 18 years old and have to furnish their age proof, the Minister said.

She added that those who took up pilgrimage from April 1 to June 30 and want to take benefit of the Kashi Yatra’ scheme would have to furnish proof that they visited Kashi Vishwanath Temple such as their darshan ticket or waiting list, Pooja Receipt’, and submit it to the commissioner of religious endowment department in the prescribed proforma.

Any pilgrim taking up the government-sponsored Kashi Yatra’ would get the benefit only once in a life time, Jolle said.

Bengaluru: Former Chief Minister S M Krishna, Infosys founder N R Narayan Murthy, and Badminton legend Prakash Padukone were conferred the maiden Kempegowda International Award on Monday.

Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai handed them the award, instituted by the state government in honour of Kempegowda, founder of Bengaluru, for their contribution to the growth of the city.

Sudha Murty on behalf of Narayan Murthy and Badminton coach U Vimal Kumar on behalf of Padukone received the award which carries a purse of Rs five lakh.

Speaking on the occasion, marking the 513th birth anniversary of Kempegowda, Bommai said a good tradition has been started to remember the person who founded Bengaluru city.

I consider that today is the day to introspect how we have shaped the city. Kempegowda brought together many villages and helped communities to grow here. This is the sign of a person with farsightedness, the Chief Minister said.

Karnataka ministers R Ashoka, C N Ashwath Narayan, V Sunil Kumar, K Gopalaiah and Muniratha, Lok Sabha member Tejaswi Surya and the pontiff of Adichunchanagiri Math, Nirmalananda Swamiji were among those present.

Hariram Shankar

Bengaluru: The Karnataka Government on Monday transferred 16 IPS Officers from across the State and posted into their new postings with immediate effect. Mangaluru DCP Law and Order Hariram Shankar was also transferred as per the orders issued on Monday.

Hariram Shankar will now take charge as the Superintendent of Police of Hassan District from the outgoing SP R Srinivas Gowda who was also transferred on Monday to take charge as the DCP of Central Division, Bengaluru City.

The order however, did not state any officer taking charge as the DCP Law and Order Mangaluru City, effectively meaning the post will temporarily remain vacant.

Among other major transfers, IPS Officer Laxman Numbargi, serving as the SP of Belagavi district was transferred as the DCP West Division, Bengaluru City.

BENGALURU: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday hit out at previous governments for not taking the initiative to develop infrastructure and implement key projects, especially the Bengaluru Suburban Rail Project (BSRP) for nearly four decades. 

“The project was just talked about for 40 years and remained on paper for about 16 years without any concrete work on the ground. We will complete it in forty months. It must be in my fate and the people have given this opportunity to me to complete it,” he said, addressing a public rally at Kommaghatta near Kengeri where he launched five national highways and seven railway projects, including the BSRP, together worth over Rs 33,000 crore.

Praising the spirit of Bengaluru, he said it is a dream land for lakhs of youth of the country and a start-up hub for innovations. “We will decongest the city for ease of living besides ease of doing business. Perhaps it was in my fate to give a fillip to the infrastructure projects of the city and help the youth nurture their dreams,” the PM added.

Bengaluru’s success story inspires 21st century India to become ‘Aatmnirbhar’. The city has shown what Indian youth can do if the government provides facilities and minimises interference in the lives of citizens, he pointed out.

“Benguluru becoming the dream city of the youth is because of entrepreneurship, innovation and proper utility of public as well as private sector. Bengaluru is a lesson for those who still disrespect the spirit of private enterprise of India,” he said.