BENGALURU BUZZ

Chief Minister Siddaramaiah presented the first State Budget of his government. He claimed that the aim is to provide relief for inflation-affected citizens through five guarantee schemes by transferring Rs 52,000 crore to more than one crore families. The budget follows the Universal Basic Income being implemented for the first time. The outlay is over Rs 3.27 lakh crore. The government has increased the Additional Excise Duty on Indian Made Liquor by 20%, and on beer by 5.71%, and proposes to revise guidance value of properties and set a higher revenue target from stamp duty and registration. It also proposes that…

Steps to streamline projects Revenue minister Krishna Byre Gowda met World Bank representatives to discuss funds for a plan to end flooding in the city. The scheme is being worked out by the State Disaster Management Department, Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) and Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB) to redevelop stormwater drains, expand the capacity of lakes, increase underground sewage network and treatment plants. Meanwhile, poor budget allocations and lack of a water tariff revision for almost a decade have put many BWSSB projects on hold. The body is dependent on loans for its projects. Even the Cauvery…

City's no to statewide bandh Leading industries and associations in the city opted out of the state bandh called on June 22nd and assured people that it would be business as usual They were following Chief Minister Siddaramaiah's assurance that he would meet the industry's associations. Members of various trade and industry bodies held a protest in other parts of Karnataka against the hike in power tariff, called by the Hubballi-based KCCI (Karnataka Chamber of Commerce and Industries). Source: The Times of India, Indian Express Read more: Explained: Did the Karnataka government really increase electricity rates by Rs 2.89 per…

Repeal of anti-conversion law, textbook revision The state will repeal the amendments passed by the earlier government regarding the anti-conversion law, during the upcoming assembly session, starting July 5th, said the Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister, H K Patil. The government will also form a committee to fully revise school textbooks next year, said Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, in a meeting with Jnanpith awardee, Chandrashekar Kambar. It aims to remove some ‘controversial’ chapters from Social Sciences and Kannada, including RSS founder K B Hedgewar, Bannanje Govindacharya and Chakravarthy Sulibele. They will be replaced by chapters recommended by the Baraguru Ramachandrappa textbook revision committee.…

Advisory group to build 'global' city The government will launch a Vision Bengaluru Advisory Group with important personalities from technology, to offer new thinking to steer towards a 'Global Bengaluru', Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar said on June 5th. It will comprise "many stakeholders" who have invested here, generated jobs and development. He said the projects by civic agencies will be mapped at the ward level to bring in accountability and transparency. The advisory group will include civil society representatives, industry captains, and urban planners. DKS wants to steer ‘Brand Bengaluru’ towards ‘Better Bengaluru’ and ‘Global Bengaluru. He said that…

May 2023 wettest since 1957: IMD The India Meteorological Department (IMD) on May 30th issued a yellow alert for Bengaluru and 10 other districts. There might be a temporary disruption of electricity in some areas, minor traffic snarls, and uprooting of trees and branches. May, this year, was the wettest for the city in recorded history, with nearly 30.1 cms of rainfall, breaking a 66-year record of 28 cms, set in May 1957. Every year since 2015, the May rainfall hovered above the mean monthly total of 128.7 mms. However, the pre-monsoon showers has brought more threatening potholes on the…

Underpass flooded due to dry leaves, wind The Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) admitted its lack of safety audit for underpasses in heavy rain areas. A 23-year-old IT engineer, Batalu Bhanurekha, had passed away after the car she was traveling in had entered the underpass at K R Circle. A BBMP report, drafted by B S Prahlad, Chief Engineer of Road Infrastructure, said the flooding was due to a combination of gushing winds, abundance of dry leaves and heavy rainfall. In just one hour, the rainfall, measuring 24.7 mm, led to neck-deep waterlogging. The dry leaves and branches obstructed the…

Siddu, DKS to take joint charge The Congress finally announced its Chief Ministerial and Deputy Chief Ministerial candidates in Karnataka on May 18th, leading Siddaramaiah and D K Shivakumar to tweet: “We are united to safeguard the interest of the people of Karnataka”. To 75-year-old Siddaramaiah, leader of the Congress Legislature Party, it is a dream come true for getting the second term after a gap of five years. He will be sworn-in as the 24th Chief Minister. Congress is also likely to induct 10 to 12 ministers along with him at the Kanteerva Stadium in May 20th. Both leaders…

Low voter turnout in city, highest in state According to the Election Commission data released on May 11th, the 11 constituencies, which saw the least polling in the Karnataka Assembly elections, were all in Bengaluru Urban district. Bommanhalli had the lowest turnout (47.22%), followed by Dasarahalli (48.07%) and C V Raman Nagar (49.07%). Hosakote constituency in Bengaluru Rural district had the highest voter turnout, with 90.33% polling. However, polling stood at 73.19%, the highest in the state since it was formed. Of the total eligible voters of 5.30 crores, 3.88 crores casted their vote on May 10th. A number of…

More candidates with criminal cases than in 2018 There are more candidates with declared criminal cases in all three parties after 2018. It has risen from 83 to 96 in the BJP, 59 to 122 among the Congress candidates, and 41 to 70 in the JD(S), according to the ‘Karnataka Assembly Elections 2023: Analysis of Criminal Background, Financial, Education, Gender and other Details of Candidates’ report, released by Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR).   Eight candidates have declared murder-related cases (IPC Section 302), 35 candidates have attempts to murder cases (Section 307), and 49 candidates have declared cases of crime against…