Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy has sought 15 days time to announce the government’s proposal on farm loan waiver. The Chief Minister and Deputy Chief Minister G. Parameshwara had earlier held a meeting with representatives of farmers from 30 districts. They had sought suggestions on the issue and Kumaraswamy had said that he will make an announcement after consulting the Congress.

Now, Kumaraswamy has postponed it by another 15 days. He said that the loan waiver scheme would be implemented in two phases and that loans of all farmers, irrespective of their loan or the land they own, will be waived off. The farmers also demanded that all types of loans borrowed from national banks and cooperative banks be waived off. The entire amount would add up to Rs. 53,000 crore.

Kumaraswamy said that a decision can be taken by the government only after discussing the matter with Congress President Rahul Gandhi and with bankers. Until then, he requested the farmers to not take extreme decisions like taking their life.

JD(S) MLA in Chamundeshwari G.T. Deve Gowda said at a press conference in Mysuru on Tuesday that Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy will soon form his Council of Ministers. He said that the delay in Cabinet formation was because Congress President Rahul Gandhi was on a foreign tour. While he admitted that there were many aspirants for ministerial berths in the JD(S), he denied reports of a rift in the Congress-JD(S) coalition over the issue.

Gowda said that all MLAs from the coalition might be aspiring for Cabinet berths and that it was nothing to worry about. “Kumaraswamy is taking all factors into consideration before forming his Cabinet, with an eye on running the government for the full five years,” he added. He informed that the matter was being discussed with senior Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad and that a decision will be taken by Friday.

When asked whether Chief Minister Kumaraswamy will complete his full term of office, Gowda said that the matter was taken up with the leaders of the coalition and that a decision was awaited. About the longevity of the coalition, he said that though there was some bad blood between the parties in the run-up to the polls, they had now decided to forget the past and work together for the State’s progress.

He criticised the BJP for “spreading falsehoods” about the delay in Cabinet formation. He said that the coalition government was here to stay. “The next big aim is to win the Lok Sabha elections,” he added. He also attacked the BJP for employing “bandh politics” with respect to farm loan waiver, without giving the CM any time to act. He also pointed that the bandh had a poor response in the State.

“People are watching everything and are aware of who is doing what. Farmers should not end their lives and should stay calm as Kumaraswamy will soon bring relief to them,” he said. He also defended Kumaraswamy’s statement about the loan waiver issue. He said the CM had only stated the fact that he was not given the majority vote, because of which he could not take a decision on his own.

Gowda also said that former Chief Minister B.S. Yeddyurappa had not announced farm loan waiver when he was heading the BJP government in 2008. Even as the Finance Minister in the JD(S)-BJP coalition government, he had taken more than a year to announce waiver of Rs. 2500 crore worth of farm loans. Gowda promised that he would make an announcement about farm loan waiver on Wednesday as he had consulted the coalition partners.

The Supreme Court on Wednesday gave its nod for the declaration of CLAT-2018 results on Thursday while giving more time to the Grievance Redressal Committee (GRC) to probe complaints received by it on glitches in the conduct of online exam.

Permitting the Kochi-based National University of Advanced Legal Studies to go ahead with the declaration of results scheduled for May 31, a bench of Justice L. Nageswara Rao and Justice Mohan M. Shantanagoudar allowed the GRC headed by Justice M.R. Hariharan Nair to take up the complaints on the conduct of the exam by the candidates who took the common entrance test for admission to national law universities.

The court has given GRC time till June 6 to look into the complaints and submit its report.

The report of the GRC, which has Professor Santosh Kumar as its other member, that was submitted to the court in a sealed cover, said that it has gone into the complaints of 167 examinees out of 251 complaints that were received till May 23.

The committee had urged the court to grant it more time to complete scrutiny of the complaints which it has received beyond 251 and another 25 who had approached the top court and the high courts seeking the annulling of the exams.

Superstar Rajinikanth, who is slated to launch his own political party soon, has announced compensation for those who got killed during protests against Vedanta’s Sterlite Copper plant in Tuticorin in Tamil Nadu on May 22.

“The government needs to be careful as the people are watching, it was a huge mistake and a big lesson. I announce Rs 2 lakh each for the kin of victims who died in the protest,” said the superstar.

Rajinikanth made the announcement after he visited the general hospital in Tuticorin to meet those who got injured during the violent protests.

On Tuesday, members of the DMK, including party working president MK Stalin, had attended the Tamil Nadu Assembly wearing black clothes as mark of protest against the killing of people allegedly in police firing on May 22.

The AIADMK government in Tamil Nadu had on Monday ordered the state Pollution Control Board to seal and ‘permanently’ close the Vedanta group’s copper plant in Tuticorin. Soon after the issuance of the Government Order, top Tuticorin district officials sealed the copper smelter unit premises and pasted the order at the main gate.

State Industries Promotion Corporation of Tamil Nadu (SIPCOT) land, which was allotted by the Tamil Nadu government to Vedanta Sterlite, for phase 2, was also cancelled.

Tamil Nadu Deputy Chief Minister O Panneerselvam had asserted that the government would take resolute steps for the permanent closure of Vedanta group’s copper plant. “Today, the main demand of the people is that the copper plant should be permanently closed. In keeping with their demand, it is shut now. I would like to make it clear that Sterlite plant will be permanently shut,” he had said.

Describing the deaths of 13 people in the police firing as an “incident of grief which melted the hearts of everyone,” Panneerselvam had expressed his condolences to the kin of the dead and had wished the injured a speedy recovery. Recalling the steps taken by the government for closing down the plant, he had said that way back in 2013, the copper plant was shut down by late CM J Jayalalithaa.

HD Kumaraswamy,JDS-Congress Chief Minister today made an attempt to win over the farming community by seeking 15 more days to take a decision in the vexed farmers loan waiver scheme.He also submitted that he would also appraise the problem to Rahul Gandhi,Congress President in order to take his concurrence before taking any decision.
The chief minister had called a meeting of representatives of all farmers associations in the 30 districts in Vidhana Soudha to take their suggestions with regard to the issue of waiver of loans.
It may be recalled here that the Janata Dal Secular had promised to waive off all farm loans in its manifesto and HD Kumaraswamy,state party president had gone one step ahead by pronouncing that he would waive all loans including one’s borrowed from the nationalized banks as well within 24 hours of assuming office or will throw the resignation letter and exit.
With a mere strength of 37 party legislators the JDS is heavily dependent upon the 77 member strong Indian National Congress party to make a living first before taking any major decision benefiting the farmers across the state.
So its quite but natural that HD Kumaraswamy is trying to find as many valid reasons as possible to drag a resolution over the subject.For instance he claimed today:I am committed to waiving off all loans of farmers.Let there be no doubt on the subject.But you also need to cooperate with me as I am running an alliance government.
He also gave reasons like:Rahul Gandhi is a great person.He has given me an opportunity to become the chief minister although the people never gave me an verdict to govern.The farmers loans waiver issue also needs to be brought to his notice before arriving at any conclusion.
Dr G Parameshwar,Deputy Chief Minister and KPCC President was also found sitting besides the CM as the lone Congress representative.But his presence was more formal with less of impact as it was HD Kumaraswamy who literally stole the show by claiming:May be our’s is an alliance party government.But we are committed for the betterment of farmers at large and let there be no doubt on this factor.
By and large Dr G Parameshwar appeared to be a mute spectator but for giving his comments when invited to do so.On the other hand HD Kumaraswamy also made an attempt to confuse the peasant community by asserting:I need your valuable opinion on whether coffee planters,officials and politicians of the state who have borrowed to the tune of crores together in the name of farm loans should also be waived?
He also hinted of enhancing the budgetary outlay to the extent of around 2,00,000 crores in order to waive the farmers loan to the proportion of 55,000 crores.
BS Yeddyurappa,state BJP president soon after the meeting got over lambasted the chief minister for failing to keep up his promise.He also declared:The BJP legislature party will soon meet to continue its movement for pressing the state government to waive farmers loan.
Probably HD Kumaraswamy had never thought that he may have to literally take a decision on farm loans in this way.But now he’s no escape as the BJP is doing all possible to denigrate him as much as possible.In fact the farm loans waiver issue has become like ‘hot ghee’,difficult to gulp nor spit out.
Hindusthan Samachar/Manohar Yadavatti

Shri K Ravi, President, FKCCI along with delegation from FKCCI paid a courtesy call on the Hon’ble Chief Minister today and requested for extending special attention for the development of the Trade, Industry and Services by the Government.

He assured the delegation that he would bestow his full attention to the Industrial sector for the development of the State.

Honorable Prime Minister Of India Shri Narendra Modi Inaugurates India’s 1st Ever Hybrid 14 Lane Expressway

Shri Narendra Modi, Honorable Prime Minister of India recently inaugurated India’s 1st ever 14 lane Expressway – The Delhi-Meerut Expressway (Delhi Section) from Nizamuddin Bridge to UP border, proudly developed by NHAI & Welspun Enterprises Ltd. under Hybrid Annuity Model.
Shri Nitin Gadkari – Honorable Union Minister for Road Transport & Highways, Shipping & Water Resources, River Development & Ganga Rejuvenation, Shri Mansukh L. Mandaviya – Honorable Union Minister of State for Road, Transport & Highways, Shipping, Chemical & Fertilizers, Shri Maheish Girri – Member of Parliament, Shri Rajendra Agrawal – Member of Parliament, Mr. B. K. Goenka – Chairman of Welspun Group & Mr. Sandeep Garg – MD & CEO, Welspun Enterprises Ltd. were also present on this milestone occasion.
Accompanying him, Shri Nitin Gadkari – Honorable Union Minister for Road Transport & Highways, Shipping, Water Resources, River Development & Ganga Rejuvenation averred, “Congratulations to NHAI & Welspun Group for completing the green & sustainable Delhi – Meerut Expressway in record time.”

Welspun Group through its technological excellence has also been contributing to the nation’s growth through its varied businesses verticals and is proud to be associated with NHAI to develop varied HAM projects.

Commenting on the occasion, Mr. B. K. Goenka – Chairman of Welspun Group averred, “We congratulate the Honorable Prime Minister on completing 4 successful years at the Centre and sharing his vision to transform & connect India. We are thankful & proud to be associated with NHAI under the Hybrid Annuity Model. Welspun Enterprises was the 1st ever Company to achieve the financial closure for this expressway project. We are proud to contribute through industry 1st ever initiatives like vertical gardens, cycling track, solar lighting & beautification of this stretch. The completion of this expressway along with NHAI strongly showcases our strength in Infrastructure and truly resonates with our philosophy of ‘Leading Tomorrow Together’.”

Welspun Enterprises Ltd. developed the Delhi-Meerut Expressway (Package I) in a record time of 18 months as against the scheduled 30 months, setting a new benchmark with operational efficiency & commitment. The stretch also features India’s 1st ever Cycling Track on both sides, Vertical Gardens, Solar panels for Lighting, Drip water irrigation, replicas of prominent monuments like Qutub Minar & Ashoka Stambh, Advanced Traffic Management Systems (ATMS), CCTV’s & plantation of new trees. The project consists of a 6 lane expressway in the centre, flanked by 2 – 4 lane highways on either side – making it 14 lanes in total.
Designed for a speed up to 120 km/h, this expressway will substantially reduce the travel time from 45 minutes to just 8 minutes. It will also help in reduce pollution, better fuel efficiency & enhanced quality of life of millions of people.

Welspun Group, known for its varied social initiatives, has played a key role in rehabilitating the slums on the highway. It also runs varied social awareness programs with the local population in the areas of hygiene, women empowerment & education for children. It played a pivotal role in converting this expressway into a green belt with sustainable initiatives like drip water irrigation, solar plant & landscape development.
Welspun Enterprises Limited (WEL), a part of the $2.3 billion Welspun Group (Pipes & Plates, Home Textiles, Infrastructure & and Oil & Gas) operates PPP projects in varied sectors like roads, water & urban infrastructure. In the highway sector alone, the Company has successfully completed 6 BOT (Toll) Road projects with a total length of over 500 km. Apart from that, the company holds equity investments in Welspun Energy Private Limited (renewable energy) & Welspun Natural Resources Private Limited (Oil & gas exploration).

Re-polling in five polling booths of Shamli and 68 booths in Saharanpur falling under the Kairana parliamentary constituency is underway amid tight security, an official said on Wednesday.

Voting began at a slow pace, with only 18.71 per cent polling in the first two hours, said the Election Commission (EC) official adding that the polling so far has been peaceful.

There was report of a snag in an Electronic Voting Machine in Bapu village, which has been rectified and the voting has restarted after a brief interruption, the official told IANS.

A polling agent was taken to task by visiting officials at Sanga Kheda after he was found in possession of a mobile phone inside the booth.

There was inconvenience caused at Sirsila village where the polling officials had by mistake announced that repeal would be done on booth number 355 instead of booth number 356.

Many people formed queues outside the wrong booth that led to confusion and anger amongst the voters.

The re-polls have been necessitated after both opposition parties and the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) alleged snags in the VVPAT-EVMs during the May 28 bypolls.