Bengaluru: Karnataka Revenue Minister Krishna Byre Gowda on Tuesday said that National Disaster Response Force and State Disaster Response Force personnel have been deployed in the city following heavy rain forecast.

He said Fire and Emergency Services have also been placed on standby for immediate response.

“I have advised BBMP (Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike to be on high alert. We have already deployed about 60 NDRF/SDRF personnel in Bengaluru and redeploying another 40 to be on stand by for any necessity. We have put Fire and Emergency Services on stand by for immediate response,” the Minister said in an online post.

The Bengaluru District administration has declared a holiday for schools for tomorrow.

Incessant rains since early Tuesday threw normal life out of gear in central and southern parts of Karnataka, including the state capital Bengaluru where several localities witnessed water-logging and traffic congestion.

Bengaluru The Karnataka High Court has upheld the Bangalore Development Authority’s (BDA) power to accept or reject bids in site auctions without providing reasons.

A division bench consisting of Justice Anu Sivaraman and Justice G Basavaraja concluded that the BDA’s decision was lawful, aligning with the public interest and benefiting the general public.

The case arose after the BDA challenged a single-judge bench decision that quashed its rejection of a bid by a person named Sachin Nagarajappa.

The single judge had directed the BDA to confirm Nagarajappa’s bid of Rs 1,54,000 per square metre, prompting the authority to appeal.

The BDA argued that its actions were consistent with the BDA (Disposal of Corner Sites and Commercial Sites) Rules, 1984, which empower the authority to accept or reject bids without offering explanations.

The BDA emphasised that public property auctions aim to secure the highest possible price, and it retains the right to cancel bids if the offered price is deemed inadequate.

The division bench referred to Rule 7 and the General Terms and Conditions of the BDA’s e-Auction Notification, noting that the rule allows the authority to reject bids without providing reasons.

The court emphasised that the judiciary cannot interfere with the policy decisions made by the legislature or regulatory bodies unless there is evidence of illegality or misconduct.

Since the respondent did not challenge the constitutionality of Rule 7, and no evidence of fraud, collusion, or favoritism was presented, the court observed and concluded that the BDA’s decision was neither arbitrary nor irrational.

It further noted that the property had been sold for over Rs 10 crore in a subsequent auction, benefiting the BDA.

The division bench set aside the single-judge bench ruling and upheld the BDA’s decision to reject the bid.

BJP MLA Munirathna

Bengaluru: The Special MP/MLA Court in Bengaluru on Monday granted anticipatory bail to three individuals in a rape case in which BJP MLA Munirathna is also an accused.

Lohit, Kiran, and Manjunath were granted bail by Judge Santhosh Gajanan Bhat.

The case was filed against Munirathna and others following a complaint by a 40-year-old woman, a social worker from Rajarajeshwari Nagar who had been active in the BJP.

The FIR was registered at the Kaggalipura police station.

Karnataka Governor Thaawar Chand Gehlot

Bengaluru: Karnataka Governor Thaawar Chand Gehlot has been accorded Z+ security by the Union Home Ministry, following a security review. The enhanced security, which was previously managed by the state police, will now be overseen by the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), Raj Bhavan officials confirmed. Armed CRPF personnel will accompany the governor in shifts during his travels across the state.

The decision was based on a review conducted by central intelligence agencies. Although the specific reasons behind the upgrade remain unclear, it is believed to be connected to the governor’s approval of an investigation into the Mysore Urban Development Authority (MUDA) case, which allegedly involves Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and his wife.

This security upgrade follows protests from Congress, including a controversial statement by Congress MLC Ivan D’Souza, who warned of a ‘Bangladesh-type agitation’ to remove the governor. In response, the Karnataka government had already provided Gehlot with a bulletproof vehicle.

While all governors are eligible for Z+ security, Gehlot, who assumed office in July 2021, had not opted for this level of protection until now. The Centre extended the enhanced cover after the latest threat assessment, which is conducted every six months. The CRPF has taken charge of the governor’s security, with additional procedures expected to be finalised this week.

Gehlot, 76, previously served as the Union Minister of Social Justice and Empowerment from 2014. He is the first person from Madhya Pradesh to hold the position of Governor in Karnataka.

Nasheman news

*Dr. Patil highlights the initiative’s focus on women empowerment

*Akka Café set to drive socio-economic growth across Karnataka

*Program spearheaded by National Livelihood Mission-Karnataka

Devanahalli (Bengaluru Rural), October 8: Minister for medical education, skill development, entrepreneurship and livelihood, Dr. Sharan Prakash Patil, emphasized the pivotal role of women empowerment in advancing Karnataka’s socio-economic development during the launch of the state government’s Akka Café initiative on Tuesday.

Speaking at the inauguration, Dr. Patil underscored the initiative’s transformative potential for women in both urban and rural areas, fostering self-reliance and entrepreneurship. “The Akka Café initiative will create a lasting impact on Karnataka’s socio-economic landscape by empowering women, especially in rural areas, and promoting entrepreneurship,” he said.

Akka Café, introduced by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah in the 2024-25 budget, is aimed at bolstering economic empowerment for women and creating sustainable livelihoods. The program specifically supports women entrepreneurs, particularly from Self-Help Groups (SHGs), by offering them opportunities to manage and operate state-of-the-art cafés. These cafés will showcase local cuisine while adhering to high standards of quality and hygiene.

In its first phase, the government plans to establish 50 cafés across the state, blending rural and urban locations. SHG women will manage these cafés, receiving up to Rs 15 lakh in grants for setup costs, including infrastructure support. In addition, 2500 coffee kiosks will be opened across the state. Rural women will trained with the help of central coffee board. For this Rs 25 crore has been set aside

This aligns with the government’s broader vision of promoting sustainable livelihoods and empowering women economically.

The National Livelihood Mission-Karnataka (NLM) is implementing the Akka Café initiative through the Startup Village Entrepreneurship Program (SVEP) under the National Rural Livelihood Mission (NRLM), aimed at encouraging entrepreneurship and self-employment in rural areas.

To ensure the success of the initiative, NLM has partnered with IHM-Bengaluru to provide SHG women with the necessary skills to manage the cafés effectively. Additionally, NLM is piloting a bakery unit, also run by SHG women entrepreneurs, with training facilitated by a partner NGO. This bakery unit will serve as a cloud kitchen, supplying items like cookies, muffins, and cakes to Akka Cafés in Bengaluru, while also operating a premium bakery outlet in Devanahalli. The bakery unit, backed by innovative technology and sound business practices, will provide an additional revenue stream for women entrepreneurs, further enhancing their economic independence.

The launch ceremony was attended by Food and Civil Supplies Minister and Bengaluru Rural District Incharge Minister KH Muniyappa, additional chief secretary Uma Mahadevan, NRLM mission director PI Sree Vidya, Bangalore rural DC N Shiva Shankar, Bangalore rural ZP CEO KN Anuradha

BOX
CLOUD KITCHEN FACILITY

You no longer need to travel to Devanahalli or distant locations to enjoy the delicious offerings of Akka Café. Thanks to the initiative by the Livelihood Department, Akka Café products are now available through a cloud kitchen service. Simply order online and have your favorite bakery items delivered right to your doorstep.

Bengaluru: Karnataka Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao on Tuesday hit out at the BJP for not taking action against former Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa against whom a Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) case has been registered.

He said the central government did a commendable job by suspending the National Film Award to be presented to choreographer Jani Master citing allegations of crime under POCSO Act

Anyone who is under investigation or inquiry for sexual harassment or molestation should not be honoured, the Minister said, adding that it was a good decision by the central government.

However, the party did not adopt the same yardstick when it came to Yediyurappa, the Health Minister said.

“However, my question is regarding B S Yediyurappa, who is facing a POCSO inquiry. An FIR has been filed, the CID has investigated the matter, and now the trial is set to begin. Why is the BJP not taking any action against Yediyurappa, especially considering the serious charge of sexual harassment of a 17-year-old girl?” Rao sought to know.

Stating that a chargesheet has been filed against Yediyurappa, the Minister said the “minimum action” the BJP should have taken is to remove him from “his post in the central committee”.

“Why are they keeping him? He is facing a Lokayukta inquiry for corruption, and now he’s facing a POCSO trial. When such serious allegations exist, especially concerning women, why is the BJP acting inconsistently?” Rao asked.

Yediyurappa is a member of the BJP parliamentary board, and central election committee.

Property registrations in major cities like Bengaluru, Mangaluru, and Mysuru have dropped dramatically by 95% as a result of a major impediment to the Karnataka government’s initiative to digitize real estate transactions through the mandated e-khata registration system.

This sharp decrease comes as the stamps and registration department tries to boost revenue by keeping select sub-registrar offices open on weekends. In the first two quarters of this fiscal year, property registrations had shown a 5% increase compared to last year, generating ₹11,550 crore in revenue, up from ₹9,419 crore during the same period last year.

Out of Karnataka’s 257 sub-registrar offices, only 26 in Bengaluru are exempt from the e-khata requirement. In Bengaluru, 43 sub-registrar offices are spread across five registration districts. E-khata is currently mandatory in Basavanagudi and Gandhinagar, with plans to extend it to Jayanagar, Rajajinagar, and Shivajinagar next week.

Local authorities are tasked with issuing e-khata documents, which serve as legal proof of property ownership for tax payments. The Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) has published draft e-khatas online for the city’s 2.1 million properties. To obtain a final e-khata, property owners must download the draft and submit various electronic IDs, including the sale deed, Aadhaar e-KYC, a 10-digit Bescom number, GPS details, and a photograph of the property, along with encumbrance details. However, many individuals have faced challenges due to reported glitches on the portal and a general lack of awareness about the process.

Launched on September 9, the e-khata system was introduced in four districts to curb fraudulent transactions and was expanded to eight districts by September 23 and the entire state by October 7. However, sub-registrar offices are now witnessing a dramatic drop in registrations. “Normally, a sub-registrar office registers 50-60 properties a day, but this has plummeted to just five to six due to technical glitches with the e-khata mandate,” said a sub-registrar from Bengaluru.

In light of these ongoing issues, Revenue Minister Krishna Byre Gowda convened a meeting with BBMP and revenue officials to address the challenges, particularly in Bengaluru. “I have informed Deputy CM DK Shivakumar, who has directed BBMP officials to resolve these issues promptly. These are initial glitches, and once the system stabilizes, people will benefit from the digitization,” Gowda stated.

He reassured property owners that there is no immediate deadline for obtaining an e-khata. “Only those looking to sell their properties need to secure it now; others can take their time,” he added. To assist residents with the e-khata process, helpdesks have been established at various locations, including the BBMP ARO office, Bengaluru One, and local body offices in rural areas.

Senior Minister Satish Jarkiholi

Mysuru: Senior Minister Satish Jarkiholi on Tuesday said Siddaramaiah will remain as Chief Minister of Karnataka, and the Congress high command has not discussed with him and other party leaders about the possibility of Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar replacing him at some point in time.

Speaking to reporters here, Jarkiholi, who is at the forefront of behind-the-scenes political activities within the Congress amid demands for Siddaramaiah’s resignation by the opposition following charges against him in the MUDA case, however, said the party’s central leadership can respond to questions whether he will hold the post for a full term of five years.

“I can only say that he will be there. Siddaramaiah will be there as Chief Minister,” the Public Works Minister, an ST leader with considerable standing in northern Karnataka, said. “Whether he will be there as CM for three years or five years doesn’t come at my level. I can only say Siddaramaiah will be there as CM and we are with him.”

On the possibility of Shivakumar, who is also State Congress chief, taking over as CM in the event of a change of guard, he said: “High command has not discussed with us about D K Shivakumar (being made CM)…you ask him. I can only say Siddaramaiah will continue as CM.”

There was stiff competition between Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar, a powerful leader from the politically influential Vokkaliga community, for the Chief Minister’s post after the declaration of Assembly election results in May last year, and the Congress had managed to convince the latter and made him the Deputy Chief Minister.

There were some reports at the time that a compromise had been reached based on a “rotational chief minister formula,” according to which Shivakumar will become CM after two-and-half years but they have not been officially confirmed by the party.

Amid demand by opposition parties for Siddaramaiah to quit, Jarkiholi on Sunday met Home Minister G Parameshwara, a senior leader from the SC community, in Tumakuru, after last week’s meeting with Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge in Delhi, leading to intense speculations in political circles over leadership change.

There was also a closed-door meeting earlier between Jarkiholi, Parameshwara and Social Welfare Minister Dr H C Mahadevappa, who is also from SC community.

Amid calls for a Dalit/ST CM within a section of the party that has surfaced time and again, Parameshwara, Jarkiholi and Mahadevappa are seen as front-runners for the CM’s post if the situation arises.

Jarkiholi, however, ruled out any change in CM, stating that there is no such situation in the state. When the CM post is not vacant, how can he be in the race for the post?

“We have a CM and he will continue. Myself, other ministers, our party and high command have said it several times, so any discussion on it is irrelevant,” he said. “We have confidence in the CM’s leadership.”

On meetings between him and Jarkiholi, and Mahadevappa becoming a point of discussion in political circles, Parameshwara said: “It is good if there are discussions. Like ‘Chai pe Charcha’, we had a discussion over coffee.”

“Just because two of us meet over a coffee and because of that if one is made a CM, many such discussions would take place and a lot of coffee will get consumed,” he told reporters in a lighter vein in Bengaluru. “…nothing will happen if we discuss, high command is there. Also such a situation (for CM change) has not arisen, let’s discuss and place a demand when the situation arises.”

“The CM has said it several times that there is no need for him to resign and he won’t, and we too have also said the same thing,” Parameshwara said. “There is no need for the CM to resign, it has been repeatedly told.”

Meanwhile, taking a dig at “developments” within the Congress, Leader of opposition in the Assembly R Ahoka said there is a “running race” in the ruling party for the CM post. He said “breakfast and dinner meetings” are on among ministers to replace the CM.

“…don’t know how long the government will continue. There are rumours within the Congress that the CM may resign in 10-15 days, so leaders are counting MLAs in their support (for CM post),” the BJP leader said.

Siddaramaiah is facing the Lokayukta and ED probes into alleged irregularities in allotment of 14 sites to his wife Parvathi B M by the Mysuru Urban Development Authority (MUDA).

Siddaramaiah’s wife, brother-in-law Mallikarjuna Swamy, Devaraju — from whom Mallikarjuna Swamy purchased land and gifted it to Parvathi — and others are named as other accused in the case by Lokayukta.

Bengaluru : JD(S) leader H D Kumaraswamy on Sunday hit out at Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah for accusing the opposition of dragging his wife in the MUDA case and blamed the latter’s ‘wrongs’ for the woes.

The Union Minister also challenged Siddaramaiah for a debate on the Congress government’s achievements and developmental activities so far.

“Time and again you (Siddaramaiah) say the opposition is jealous and you are accusing the opposition of dragging your wife (into the MUDA case). You have brought your wife, who was respectfully at home, out (in this case). It is not done by us, the opposition. You have brought her out because of wrongs you have committed (in her name),” Kumaraswamy said.

Addressing reporters here, he said, “repeatedly you (Siddaramaiah) speak about AHINDA, what have you done for AHINDA (Kannada acronym for minorities, backward classes and Dalits)? Haven’t we seen what has happened in Valmiki Corporation (scam), the loot that has happened.”

Pointing to CM’s emotional appeal to people if they would forgive the opposition for targeting his wife over the MUDA ‘scam’, Kumaraswamy said, “Whether people will forgive or accept us, they will decide later. Let him ask the people what they will do to him (Siddaramaiah) for this kind of governance…”

Siddaramaiah had on Saturday come down heavily on the opposition BJP and the JD(S) for dragging his wife Parvathi B M in the MUDA case, who had never stepped into public life and was confined to her house.

He also charged the opposition with targeting him because they could not tolerate a person from a backward community in the Chief Minister’s post.

Siddaramaiah is facing the Lokayukta and ED probes into alleged irregularities in allotment of 14 sites to his wife by the Mysuru Urban Development Authority (MUDA).

His wife Parvathi, brother-in-law Mallikarjuna Swamy, Devaraju — from whom Mallikarjuna Swamy purchased land and gifted it to Parvathi — and others are named as other accused in the case.

Alleging that the Congress government is entangled in scams, Kumaraswamy said, “No ministers including the Chief Minister have any concern for the troubles faced by the people… they speak about development, only god should save us.”

He challenged Siddaramaiah for a discussion on achievements and development work of the current Congress government led by him, with that of his (Kumaraswamy) 14 months JD(S)-Congress coalition government in 2018-19.

Claiming that he had to function as CM without proper cooperation from the Congress during the coalition government, Kumaraswamy said, “JD(S) had only 38 MLAs then… what all you (Siddaramaiah/Congress) did then? Today you are saying Kumaraswamy didn’t work for 14 months.”

Citing rain-related issues reported in the last couple of days in parts of the city, Kumaraswamy said, “A deadline was set to fill potholes… we are seeing the quality of the work that was done, following this rains.”

Not only in Bengaluru, in several parts of the state the post monsoon rains are more than expected, leading to damage of crops and people facing trouble, he said, while accusing the government of ‘failing’ to address the issues

Bengaluru: In view of the Dasara festival, the Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) has arranged special bus services with over 2,000 vehicles to facilitate the travel of tourists arriving in Mysuru and other passengers availing holidays during this period.

Special bus services will be operated from October 9 to 14, connecting various locations in Karnataka and other states to Bengaluru. Buses will be departing from Kempegowda Bus Station, Mysuru Road Bus Station, and Shantinagar BMTC Bus Station. The services will cover destinations such as Dharmasthala, Kukke Subrahmanya, Sringeri, Horanadu, Shivamogga, Madikeri, Mangaluru, Davangere, Gokarna, Kollur, Hubballi, Dharwad, Belagavi, Vijayapura, Karwar, Ballari, Hosapete, Kalaburagi, Raichur, and more.

Additionally, special services will be available for Hyderabad, Chennai, Ooty, Kodaikanal, Salem, Tiruchirappalli, Pudukottai, Madurai, Panaji, Shirdi, Pune, Ernakulam, Palakkad, and other nearby states.

As part of the arrangements, KSRTC will deploy 260 additional buses from Bengaluru’s Mysuru Road Bus Station to Mysuru and operate 400 more vehicles to various tourist and religious destinations around Mysuru, such as Chamundi Hill, KRS Dam/Brindavan Gardens, Srirangapatna, Nanjangud, Madikeri, Mandya, Malavalli, H.D. Kote, Chamarajanagar, Hunsur, K.R. Nagar, and Gundlupet, totalling 660 special buses.

A direct ‘Fly Bus’ service will also be available from Kempegowda International Airport, Bengaluru, to Mysuru for passengers’ convenience.

KSRTC will operate special one-day tour packages for tourists visiting Mysuru from October 3 to 15. Under the ‘Giridarshini’ package, transport will be provided to Bandipur, Gopalaswamy Hill, Biligirirangana Hill, Nanjangud, and Chamundi Hill (Rs. 400 for adults and Rs. 250 for children). The ‘Jaladarshini’ package will cover destinations such as the Golden Temple (Bylakuppe), Dubare Forest, Nisargadhama, Raja’s Seat, Harangi Reservoir, and KRS Dam (Rs. 450 for adults and Rs. 300 for children). The ‘Devadarshini’ package will provide connectivity to Nanjangud, Bluff, Mudukutore, Talakadu, Somanathapura, and Srirangapatna (Rs. 300 for adults and Rs. 200 for children).

These package services will depart from Mysuru in the morning, covering the respective destinations, and return to Mysuru by evening. Online ticket booking is available through the KSRTC official website.