New Delhi, June 29 (IANS) Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah met Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday and sought special attention for the state and Bengaluru city in the upcoming Budget.

Chief Minister Siddaramaiah said that the state of Karnataka is one of the major contributors to the tax revenues of the country.

“I request you to consider the issues we have raised and pay special attention to the state and Bengaluru city in the forthcoming Union Budget,” the Chief Minister requested the Prime Minister.

The Chief Minister told the Prime Minister that Bengaluru city is growing fast and also attracts a lot of migration of workforce from all over the country.

“The growing city needs investments and the state government has been designing and implementing ambitious plans. We requested the Prime Minister’s kind intervention in supporting the city for its Metro Rail project, the Peripheral Ring Road project and a number of other initiatives,” the Chief Minister said.

Siddaramaiah also raised three major issues relating to water resources, Mekedatu Balancing Reservoir, a grant of Rs 3,000 crores for the Upper Bhadra Project as promised in the Union Budget of 2023-24 and clearance of the Kalasa Banduri Drinking Water Project.

“We also request you to direct the concerned in the Ministries of Water Resources and Environment and Forests to look into these issues. The issue of Mekedatu deserves your personal intervention,” the Chief Minister told the Prime Minister.

He said that the 15th Finance Commission report was unfair to Karnataka and the state lost its share in the devolution of taxes to the extent of 1 per cent, which has resulted in a loss of Rs 1,80,000 crores over the period of five years.

“The Central government should at least consider honouring the recommendation of the Commission for state-specific grants of Rs 11,495 crores,” the Chief Minister told the Prime Minister during the meeting.

He said that the Kalyana Karnataka Region of the state deserves special focus and also made a request for a special package for the region to supplement and support the annual allocation of Rs 5,000 crores that the state government provides.

The Chief Minister also congratulated PM Modi for becoming the Prime Minister for the third term and expressed good wishes for a successful stint in the service of the great nation.

–IANS

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Kohima, June 29 (IANS) The ruling Nationalist Democratic Progressive Party (NDPP) swept the civic body polls in Nagaland on Saturday, securing all three municipal councils and majority of the town councils, election officials said.

The NDPP, which dominates the opposition-less United Democratic Alliance (UDA) government in Nagaland, won the three municipal councils in Kohima, Mokokchung, and Dimapur.

According to State Election Commission (SEC) officials, the NDPP secured most of the seats in 21 town councils, except Wokha, Bhandari, and Phek.

In the Wokha town council, the NDPP won seven of the 15 seats, while the Ajit Pawar-led Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) won five, followed by the BJP with three seats.

The Naga People’s Front (NPF) secured a majority in both Bhandari and Phek town councils. Bhandari is the only urban local body where the NDPP did not field any candidate.

The BJP, NCP, and NPF are partners in the UDA government.

The NDPP earlier won five and six seats uncontested in Kohima and Mokokchung municipal councils, respectively, and secured the remaining seats in Saturday’s counting of votes.

The NDPP also won majority of the 23 seats in the Dimapur Municipal Council.

In all, 64 candidates, mostly belonging to NDPP, won their seats uncontested.

After the results were announced, Nagaland Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio said in a post on X: “Congratulations to the winning candidates in the ULB elections. I extend my best wishes as you take on the responsibility of addressing civic issues. I’m confident that your dedication will lead to positive changes, and fulfil the public’s expectations in your respective wards.”

The Urban Local Body (ULB) polls in the state were held on June 26 after a gap of 20 years. It was a historic event as this was the first municipal election in the state held with 33 per cent reservation for women.

Nagaland has a total of 39 town councils, but no election was held in 15 councils as these are located in the six eastern districts where the influential Naga tribal body, Eastern Nagaland People’s Organisation (ENPO), called for a vote boycott.

Since 2010, the ENPO has been demanding a separate Frontier Nagaland Territory, or a separate state, comprising six eastern Nagaland districts — Kiphire, Longleng, Mon, Noklak, Shamator, and Tuensang — inhabited by seven backward tribes — Chang, Khiamniungan, Konyak, Phom, Tikhir, Sangtam, and Yimkhiung.

The people in the six districts, which have over four lakh voters, also remained indoors during the Lok Sabha polls on April 19, responding to the ENPO’s boycott call.

In all, 79 candidates filed their nominations in these six districts but the ENPO leaders forced the nominees to withdraw their candidatures.

–IANS

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Bengaluru, June 29 (IANS) Union Minister of State for Railways and Jal Shakti, V. Somanna, on Saturday announced that the Central government is taking up the Circular Rail Network project in Bengaluru at an approximate cost of Rs 23,000 crore, keeping in mind the pace of development in the city.

Speaking to reporters here, V. Somanna said: “To enhance the transport system in and around Bengaluru in the coming days, and keeping in mind the necessary measures to be taken, we have the Circular Rail Network blueprint ready.”

The circular railway network will be 10 km further away from the suburban railway network currently being built.

It is a 287-km-long railway project passing through Vaddarahalli, Devanahalli, Malur, Hilalige, Hejjala, Solur, and Nidagunda in the surroundings of Bengaluru, the Union Minister said, adding the Detailed Project Report (DPR) is being prepared.

“This visionary step is in tune with Bengaluru earning the name of a global city and aims to provide facilities to maintain the city’s reputation.

“The approximate expenditure for the project is Rs 23,000 crore. We will only ask the state government for the land, and the expenditure will be borne by the Central government. The project is also intended to make a significant contribution to Bengaluru. The matter has been discussed with the officers, and Karnataka will benefit like other states in this regard,” V. Somanna said.

The Minister further said land (availability) would not be an issue because wherever the railway track is available, the new track will be built in proximity.

“This is being done with the growth of Bengaluru in mind over the next 10 to 15 years. The population of Bengaluru has now crossed 1.40 crore, excluding the surrounding villages,” he added.

–IANS

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Kolkata, June 29 (IANS) A special CBI court in West Bengal’s Asansol on Saturday remanded a former General Manager of the Eastern Coalfields Limited (ECL) and two others to judicial custody till July 3 in connection with the multi-crore coal smuggling case in the state.

The three individuals were produced before the court at the end of their three-day CBI custody on Saturday. After hearing the arguments, the judge of the special court remanded them to judicial custody till July 3, the day when the process of framing of charges is scheduled to begin.

The accused individuals include Amit Kumar Dhar, former General Manager of ECL, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Coal India Limited (CIL), and Srimonto Thakur and Vidyasagar Das, both private coal traders.

During the hearing on Saturday, the CBI counsel claimed the accused were not cooperating with the investigation, though they named a few individuals whom the central agency will question in due course.

A total of 43 persons have been named in the charge sheet filed by the CBI before the special court. Out of these, one person has died while one of the prime suspects in the case, Vinay Mishra, is absconding.

As per the latest information available with the central agency, Mishra, a former youth Trinamool Congress leader, is hiding in Vanuatu Island after obtaining citizenship of the country in southwestern Pacific Ocean.

Another prime accused in the case, Anup Majhi a.k.a. Lala, was absconding for a long time before surrendering before the special CBI court in Asansol On May 14.

Majhi was granted conditional bail against a personal bond of Rs 10,000.

–IANS

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Bengaluru, June 29 (IANS) Union Minister of State for Labour, Employment, and Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises Shobha Karandlaje on Saturday said that the Leader of the Opposition (LoP) Rahul Gandhi has lied about his mic being muted during the NEET discussion in Parliament.

“It is a lie. His (Rahul Gandhi) mic was not muted during the discussion on NEET. He had the opportunity to speak in Parliament. We have made it very clear that the Central government is ready for debates and discussions on any issue,” Shobha Karandlaje told media persons.

She said that there is plenty of scope for MPs to raise the issues inside the Parliament during discussion. “The budget session is likely to take place on July 22. So, there is a lot of time. Despite the time, Congress, with the intention of insulting the President, is doing all this,” she said.

She said that there is a procedure in Parliament. Following the President’s speech, for three days, various leaders speak during the motion of thanks over the President’s address to the joint session.

“One can speak about development, allegations or over any other issue during the motion of thanks. After the speeches, we have the tradition of adopting the motion thanking the President for the address. But the Congress is trying to disturb everything,” she said.

–IANS

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