India

New Delhi, Jan 8 (IANS) Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit Andhra Pradesh and Odisha on a two-day tour from Wednesday.

In a major push for sustainable development, industrial growth and infrastructure enhancement, PM Modi will dedicate to the nation, inaugurate and lay the foundation stone of projects worth more than Rs 2 lakh crore at Visakhapatnam on January 8 (Wednesday) at 5:30 p.m.

He will also inaugurate the 18th Pravasi Bharatiya Divas (PBD) convention at Bhubaneswar on January 9 at 10 a.m.

In yet another key step towards his commitment to green energy and a sustainable future, the Prime Minister will lay the foundation stone for the state-of-the-art NTPC Green Energy Limited Green Hydrogen Hub Project at Pudimadaka near Visakhapatnam in Andhra Pradesh, which is the first Green Hydrogen Hub under the National Green Hydrogen Mission.

The project entails an investment of nearly Rs 1,85,000 crore. This will include investment in 20 GW renewable energy capacities, making it one of India's largest integrated green hydrogen production facilities with a capacity of producing 1,500 TPD Green Hydrogen and 7,500 TPD Green Hydrogen derivatives, including Green Methanol, Green Urea and Sustainable Aviation Fuel, primarily targeting the export market.

The project will contribute substantially to achieving India's non-fossil energy capacity target of 500 GW by 2030.

The Prime Minister will also dedicate to the nation, lay the foundation stone and inaugurate various railway and road projects worth more than Rs 19,500 crore in Andhra Pradesh which includes the foundation stone laying of South Coast Railway Headquarters at Visakhapatnam, among various other projects.

These projects will reduce congestion, improve connectivity and enhance regional social and economic growth.

Furthering his vision of accessible and affordable healthcare, PM Modi will lay the foundation for the Bulk Drug Park at Nakkapalli in the Anakapalli district.

The Bulk Drug Park will create thousands of jobs while helping accelerate economic growth due to its proximity to the Visakhapatnam-Chennai Industrial Corridor (VCIC) and Visakhapatnam-Kakinada Petroleum, Chemical and Petrochemical Investment Region.

The Prime Minister will also lay the foundation stone of Krishnapatnam Industrial Area (KRIS City) under the Chennai Bengaluru Industrial Corridor, in the Tirupati district of Andhra Pradesh.

The Krishnapatnam Industrial Area (KRIS City), a flagship project under the National Industrial Corridor Development Programme, is envisioned as a greenfield industrial smart city.

The project is set to attract significant manufacturing investments of nearly Rs 10,500 crore and is also projected to create around one lakh direct and indirect jobs, significantly enhancing livelihoods and driving regional progress.

The Prime Minister will also inaugurate the 18th Pravasi Bharatiya Divas convention in Odisha.

The Pravasi Bharatiya Divas (PBD) Convention is the flagship event of the Indian government that provides an important platform to connect and engage with the Indian diaspora and enable them to interact with each other.

The 18th Pravasi Bharatiya Divas Convention is being organised in partnership with the Odisha government from January 8 to 10, 2025, in Bhubaneswar.

The theme of this PBD Convention is "Diaspora's Contribution to a Viksit Bharat".

A large number of Indian diaspora members from more than 50 different countries have registered to participate in the PBD Convention.

PM Modi will remotely flag off the inaugural journey of the Pravasi Bharatiya Express, a special tourist train for the Indian diaspora, which will depart from the Nizamuddin Railway Station in Delhi and will travel to multiple destinations of tourism and religious importance in India for a period of three weeks.

The Pravasi Bharatiya Express will be conducted under the Pravasi Teertha Darshan Yojana.

--IANS

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New Delhi, Jan 8 (IANS) V. Narayanan has been appointed as the next chairman of the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) and Secretary of the Department of Space, according to an official announcement made on Tuesday. He is set to take over from the current ISRO chief, S. Somnath, on January 14.

A distinguished scientist at ISRO, Narayanan currently serves as the Director of the Liquid Propulsion Systems Centre (LPSC) in Valiamala, Kerala.

With nearly four decades of experience in the Indian space programme, Narayanan has held several important roles within ISRO.

His expertise primarily focuses on rocket and spacecraft propulsion.

According to an official order from the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet, Narayanan has been appointed to serve in these roles for the next two years, until further notice.

An official order from the Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions, Department of Personnel and Training states, "The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet has approved the appointment of V. Narayanan, Director, Liquid Propulsion Systems Centre, Valiamala, as Secretary, Department of Space and Chairman, Space Commission, for a period of two years from January 14, 2025, or until further orders, whichever is earlier."

He is a Rocket and Space Craft Propulsion Expert and joined ISRO in 1984 and functioned in various capacities before becoming Director of LPSC.

The Liquid Propulsion Systems Centre, which Narayanan heads, is engaged in the development of liquid, semi-cryogenic and cryogenic propulsion stages for launch vehicles, chemical and electric propulsion systems for satellites, control systems for launch vehicles, and transducers development for space systems health monitoring.

He is also the Chairman of the Project Management Council-Space Transportation System (PMC-STS), the decision-making body in all launch vehicle projects and programmes, and the Chairman of the National Level Human Rated Certification Board (HRCB) for Gaganyaan, India's planned human spaceflight mission.

During the initial phase, he worked in the Solid Propulsion area of Sounding Rockets and Augmented Satellite Launch Vehicle (ASLV) and Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) at Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre (VSSC).

He further contributed to the process planning, process control and realisation of Ablative nozzle systems, composite motor cases and composite Igniter cases.

At present, Narayanan is the Director of the Liquid Propulsion Systems Centre (LPSC), one of the major Centres of the ISRO having its headquarters at Valiamala in Thiruvananthapuram, with a unit at Bangalore.

Having studied in Tamil-medium schools, Narayanan completed his M.Tech in Cryogenic Engineering and PhD in Aerospace Engineering from IIT, Kharagpur, where he was awarded a Silver Medal for achieving the first rank in the M Tech programme. The rocket and spacecraft propulsion expert joined ISRO in 1984 and rose through the ranks to become the director of the Liquid Propulsion Systems Centre in 2018.

S Somanath took over as the ISRO Chief in January 2022 and it was under him that India became the first country in the world to land a rover in the South Pole region of the Moon. It also joined an elite club of countries to achieve a soft landing on the Moon, after the US, Russia, and China.

--IANS

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Gurugram, Jan 8 (IANS) In a tragic incident here, a 45-year-old man was injured after being allegedly shot at by his son's friend inside his house after he scolded him, the Gurugram police said on Tuesday.

According to the police, the accused, Tanmay of Gurgaon village, committed the crime after the victim, Sandeep Kumar, a resident of the same village, scolded him not to visit his house, following which the accused developed enmity with the victim and shot him in the stomach and fled on Tuesday morning.

As per the police, Gurugram Sector-5 police station received information that a firing incident took place in Gurgaon village on Tuesday morning.

Upon receiving the information, a police team reached the spot, but by then, the injured was taken to a private hospital for further treatment.

Sandeep used to work in a private company.

The victim's wife told the police that Tanmay, who lives in the neighbourhood, was friends with his son and nephew.

Tanmay often used to come to the house and was in bad company.

"A week ago, he came home drunk. Upon this, my husband had also scolded him not to visit our home, and due to this, he developed enmity with him. On Tuesday morning Tanmay entered the house and shot Sandeep and fled," the victim's wife told the police.

Inspector Sukhbir, the Station House Officer (SHO) of Sector-5 police station, said that a case has been registered against the accused under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.

Raids are being conducted to nab the accused who will be arrested soon.

"The incident creates panic among the neighbours in the area. They said Tanmay was a friend of Sandeep's son. They had no idea that Tanmay had developed a grudge against Sandeep as he did not allow him to visit his house a few days back resulting in this attack," the SHO added.

--IANS

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Bhopal, Jan 8 (IANS) The Madhya Pradesh government will invest Rs 1,500 crore to double the size of milk production and to increase farmers' income in the next five years, officials said.

A proposal in this regard has been approved by the Cabinet chaired by Chief Minister Mohan Yadav on Tuesday.

Briefing about the Cabinet's decision, senior Minister Kailash Vijayvargiya said the Madhya Pradesh State Co-operative Dairy Federation (MPSCDF) will tie up with the National Co-operative Dairy Federation (NCDF).

He said the tie-up with NCDF will not only increase the production of milk but also pave the way for increasing the income of farmers in the state.

The Minister said farmers will be encouraged to milk production by adopting good quality cows.

The farmers will be provided with all facilities to transport their milk and other products to the market, Vijayvargiya added.

They will also be encouraged to use organic manure for farming, he said.

He added the state government is also starting an academic degree course in dairy technology at Vikram University in Ujjain.

In future, this course will also be provided in other universities as per the National Education Policy, 2020, the Minister said.

The skilled youths trained in dairy technology will take Madhya Pradesh to the top position in milk production with their strong will and hard work using dairy technology, he added.

"Decision is part of future planning to double milk production as well as to increase the farmers' income in the next five years in the state. At present, we have nearly 6,000 dairy co-operative committees in the state, which will be increased up to 9,000 in the next five years," Vijayvargiya said.

Meanwhile, he also said the government has decided to make the state's Sanchi milk expand further in the national market with the help of NCDF.

"Once the MoU is signed between MPSCDF and NCDF, the government will set up dairy plants in villages. Transportation and branding will be done through private parties," the Minister added.

Earlier in September last year, the Madhya Pradesh government gave its consent to hand over the next five years of operations of the State Cooperative Dairy Federation and the milk unions affiliated with it to the National Dairy Development Board (NDDB).

The Opposition Congress, however, resisted the move, claiming that it was Gujarat co-operative dairy Amul's "backdoor" attempts to take over Madhya Pradesh's state-run milk brand Sanchi.

The state government, however, maintained that the decision has been taken for the expansion of Sanchi's production and to make it a national brand.

Madhya Pradesh ranks third in the country with a nine per cent share in milk production.

The average milk production in the state is 673 grams, while the national average is 471 grams.

--IANS

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Srinagar, Jan 8 (IANS) The Jammu and Kashmir Pavilion, with its stunning display of regional craftsmanship, authentic products and emerging entrepreneurial talent, emerged as one of the most popular and celebrated attractions in the 23rd India International Mega Trade Fair (IIMTF), held at the Science City Grounds in Kolkata from December 20, 2024, to January 6, 2025, an official statement said on Tuesday.

The pavilion, being sponsored by the Jammu and Kashmir Trade Promotion Organisation (JKTPO), featured 21 dedicated stalls, including contributions from women entrepreneurs, one of whom, an award recipient, showcased live Pashmina weaving at her stall.

"This vibrant platform allowed artisans and businesses from Jammu and Kashmir to display their unique products. The exhibition offered a diverse range of high-quality items, including Pashmina Shawls, Sozni embroidered textiles, GI-tagged Kashmiri saffron, dry fruits, hand-embroidered Phiran, and organic food products such as honey, Anardana, and Rajmash from Jammu. These traditional, meticulously crafted products attracted significant attention from the visitors," the statement said.

"The pavilion offered visitors the chance to purchase one-of-a-kind items while fostering direct interactions between the artisans and guests. This engagement allowed them to discover the intricate techniques and stories behind each creation, which in turn helped many artisans generate valuable business leads. The immersive experience not only added value to the products but also deepened the appreciation for Jammu and Kashmir's rich artistic heritage."

The statement also said the event proved to be a tremendous success, achieving sales of around Rs 1.3 crore and generating more than 1,900 business leads for future orders.

"This exceptional response highlights the rising demand for Kashmiri products and underscores the growing recognition of the region's craftsmanship both in domestic and international markets," the statement added.

IIMTF 2024 featured more than 1,000 stalls representing exhibitors from 20 Indian states and 15 countries worldwide, and the Jammu and Kashmir Pavilion was one of the major attractions for the visitors.

JKTPO has successfully participated in prominent events such as the IITF 2024 in Delhi, PITEX in Amritsar, CII Fair in Chandigarh, MSME Expo in New Delhi etc.

Besides, JKTPO organised J&K Textile Sourcing Fair 2024, J&K Trade Show 2024 (Summer Edition) and Basmati Fest 2024 to effectively showcase Jammu and Kashmir's economic potential.

"In the coming months, the JKTPO will enhance its outreach by participating in major events like MiTEX Mumbai, Surajkund Mela and Bharat Tex 2025. Additionally, it will host the second Agro and Food Fest on January 22, 2025, and the JK Trade Show 2025 (Winter Edition) on January 31, 2025," the statement said.

--IANS

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Kochi, Jan 8 (IANS) Popular actress Honey Rose on Tuesday filed a police complaint against jewellery businessman Boby Chemmanur for using derogatory words against her.

Rose herself disclosed this and pointed out that she went to the police and submitted her complaint about the way she was insulted.

"This really unpleasant incident took four months ago and my family was really disturbed due to this," said Rose after registering her complaint.

The actress informed this also through her social media account and has alerted Chemmanur that she will go forward with the complaint against the close friends and associates of the businessman as well.

Incidentally two days back, Rose, without naming the person who harassed her, took to her social media account and narrated the incident.

Following this a barrage of cyberattacks on her increased and by now around two dozen people have been arrested by the police.

Rose made her acting debut with the 2005 Malayalam film 'Boyy Friennd' and her breakthrough role came in 2012 with 'Trivandrum Lodge'.

After which Rose has had no reason to look back on her acting career and is now a hugely sought-after actress, especially for events.

Chemmanur is the chairman of a huge business conglomerate, the Chemmanur International group, and using his closeness with football icon, the late Diego Maradona, he was able to bring him to Kerala in 2012.

At times through his activities, Chemmanur got into the media industry and one such event of his was when he undertook a record-breaking marathon (812 km) in April 2014 from Kasaragod to Thiruvananthapuram to creating the world's largest blood bank, which is an active forum donating blood required for the needy.

The marathon had created news as he was able to create awareness across the state and the country and around 1.4 million people donated blood for the noble cause.

--IANS

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New Delhi, Jan 8 (IANS) The University Grants Commission (UGC) has approved a draft related to minimum qualifications for appointment of academic staff in universities and colleges across the country.

The new regulations also change the selection process of vice-chancellors, such as expanding eligibility criteria to include professionals from academia, research institutions, public policy, public administration, and industry.

For the selection of a vice-chancellor the guidelines say, a distinguished person possessing high academic qualifications and demonstrated administrative and leadership capabilities, strong alignment to constitutional values, strong social commitment, belief in teamwork, pluralism, ability to work with diverse people, with a flair for innovation and a global outlook in higher education, along with the overall vision of the institution and abilities to manage complex situations with a minimum of 10 years of experience as (i) a professor in a higher educational institution (HEI) or (ii) at a senior level in reputed research or academic administrative organizations or (iii) at a senior level in the industry, public administration, public policy and/or public sector undertakings, with a proven track record of significant academic or scholarly contributions, would be eligible to be appointed as Vice-Chancellor.

According to the guidelines, the selection for the Vice-Chancellor's post will be through an all-India newspaper advertisement and public notification.

Applications can also be sought through nomination or a talent search process by a Search-cum-Selection Committee.

These regulations also provide clear guidelines on the composition of the V-C's search-cum-selection committee, tenure, age limits, eligibility for reappointment, and who can form the search-cum-selection committee.

The new regulations will apply to Central, state, private and deemed universities.

The guidelines also defy the role of the chancellor.

The chancellor/visitor will constitute the Search-cum-Selection Committee comprising three experts.

The members of such Search-cum-Selection Committee will be eminent persons with a proven track record of excellence (either Directors/Vice-Chancellors or former Directors/Vice-Chancellors of HEIs) and will not be connected in any manner with the university concerned or its colleges.

If the Vice-Chancellor or any member of the EC/Syndicate/ BoM/equivalent body is an applicant for the Vice-Chancellor's post, they have to recuse themselves from the meeting during the discussion of the agenda item wherein the nominee of the EC/Syndicate/ BoM/equivalent body is to be decided.

In case of violation, the applicant would be disqualified as a candidate for the post of Vice-Chancellor.

The constitution of the search-cum-selection committee includes a nominee of the Visitor/Chancellor, who would be the Chairperson of the Search-cum-Selection Committee and a nominee of the UGC Chairman.

A nominee of the apex body of the university such as Syndicate/Senate/Executive Council/Board of Management/Equivalent Body of the university.

The guidelines also mention the appointment of a principal.

According to the new guidelines a Principal would be appointed for a period of five years, with eligibility for reappointment for one more term by following the procedure prescribed for selection of the Principal.

However, she/he can serve as a Principal for only two terms in the same college.

After completing the terms as Principal, the incumbent will rejoin his parent organisation with the designation of professor and in the professor grade, provided he/she fulfills the eligibility criteria for professor.

The guidelines mention the minimum qualifications, experience, and accomplishments of any Principal.

It includes a PhD degree for PG colleges, and a Professor/Associate Professor with a total experience of at least 15 years of teaching/research in HEIs is essential.

For UG colleges, a Professor/Associate Professor with a total experience of at least 10 years of teaching/research in HEIs is essential.

A minimum of 10 research publications in peer-reviewed journals, publication of 10 book chapters, publication of four books as an author or eight books as a co-author by a reputed publisher or 10 granted patents.

A combination of research publications, book chapters, and granted patents totalling 10 can also be considered for the appointment of a Principal.

--IANS

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Bengaluru, Jan 8 (IANS) The Enforcement Directorate (ED) officers conducted raids on the office of the Chief Engineer of the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) in connection with the alleged borewell scam worth Rs 9,000 crore, sources said on Tuesday.

A team of seven officials posted with the ED raided the BBMP office on Tuesday morning and continued the searches and inspection till late in the evening.

The central probe agency team has seized incriminating documents and digital evidence during the raid, sources added.

The ED sleuths have carried out the search operations in the presence of Chief Engineer B.S Prahlad.

The ED sleuths had also questioned assistant engineers and assistant executive engineers in connection with the borewell scam.

Sources said that the raid was conducted in connection with the Rs 9,000 crore scam concerning the drilling of borewells in Bengaluru city by the BBMP between 2016 and 2019.

A complaint was registered with the ED in connection with the borewell scam in 2021.

The ED had issued notice to the BBMP in this regard in 2022.

The central probe agency has also looked into the complaints over alleged corruption in executing the white topping works.

The delegation of BJP legislators from Bengaluru had filed a complaint with the ED in connection with the illegalities involving the drilling of borewells and white topping work.

In 2018-19, allegations of rampant corruption surfaced in this regard.

The BJP delegation had alleged that the BBMP had said that it had spent between Rs 12 to Rs 18 crore for every kilometre of white topping work in Bengaluru. They had raised suspicion of overspending of Rs 3,046 crore over 279 km of white topping work.

The complaint alleged that in the first phase for 93.37 km Rs 1,147.76 crore was spent, in the second phase Rs 758.56 crore was spent for 62.80 km and in the third phase, the BBMP spent Rs 1,139 crore for 123 km.

The ED is also looking into the alleged charges of money laundering.

The official statement is yet to be made in this regard by the ED.

--IANS

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Patna, Jan 8 (IANS) Bihar BJP President Dilip Jaiswal on Tuesday expressed his firm support for Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, describing him as a "ship" that will help anyone who boards it to "reach the shore".

His remarks came in response to ongoing political speculations and comments about the Chief Minister's leadership.

Speaking to the media in Patna, Jaiswal said, "Nitish Kumar is a ship. Whoever wants to board it can board, and whoever wants to get off can do so. For us, whoever boards the ship will cross the river."

When asked about remarks linking Prashant Kishor to the BJP as a "B-team", the State BJP President dismissed the claims, saying such labels were inconsequential.

"Some say A team, B team, or C team. It doesn't matter. Nitish Kumar is leading the government, and we are moving forward under his leadership."

Jaiswal refrained from commenting directly on Union Home Minister Amit Shah's recent statements regarding the Bihar Chief Minister's post.

Instead, the State BJP President said, "Why you are asking me about Delhi? I am the State President of Bihar BJP. Predictions don't concern me. Our leader is Nitish Kumar, and we will contest the Assembly elections under his leadership."

Jaiswal took political potshots at RJD leaders Lalu Yadav and Tejashwi Yadav without mentioning their names, dismissing their aspirations of returning to power in Bihar.

"They are dreaming of coming into power, but it won't happen in Bihar," he said.

Echoing Jaiswal's sentiments, Bihar Food Supply Minister Leshi Singh underscored the strength of the NDA under CM Nitish Kumar's leadership.

"The NDA is identified with Chief Minister Nitish Kumar. He doesn't need a certificate from the Opposition. Despite the cold weather, our Chief Minister is actively visiting districts as part of the Pragati Yatra."

Singh also criticised opposition leaders for making comments about Nitish Kumar, accusing them of trying to gain relevance through student politics.

"The opposition leaders' statements on us won't affect the health of the NDA. The Opposition may say what they want, but it won't change the people's support for Nitish Kumar," she said.

--IANS

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Bengaluru, Jan 8 (IANS) Leader of the Opposition in Karnataka Assembly and senior BJP leader, R. Ashoka, has described the Chief Minister Siddaramaiah-led Congress government as a "60 per cent commission government", adding that the Congress is pushing the state towards bankruptcy.

Speaking at a press conference on Tuesday in Bengaluru, Ashoka said that Karnataka is heading towards bankruptcy, similar to Himachal Pradesh and Kerala.

He alleged that contractors are unable to receive salaries due to the government's inefficiency.

Ashoka claimed that while contractors accused the previous BJP government of charging 40 per cent commission, they are now labelling the Congress government as a "60 per cent commission government" and are even applying for euthanasia due to their plight.

The BJP leader also alleged that bribes were rampant during the Congress government being in power in the state, with Rs 10 lakh required for allotment of plots measuring 30x40, Rs 20 lakh for plots sized 40x60, and Rs 40 lakh for larger plots.

The Congress government reportedly owes contractors Rs 32,000 crore, and to meet these expenses, it is imposing taxes everywhere, Ashoka said.

He criticised the state government for failing to utilise budgeted funds.

Out of Rs 3.22 lakh crore allocated in the state Budget, only Rs 1.79 lakh crore (55.69 per cent) has been spent so far, leaving 45 per cent to be utilised in the next two months, he said.

In schemes such as the Scheduled Caste Sub-Plan (SCSP), out of Rs 28,527.02 crore, only Rs 13,923 crore (48.81 per cent) has been utilised, he added.

In Tribal Sub Plan (TSP) out of Rs 11,515.39 crore, only Rs 4,937.59 crore (42.88 per cent) has been spent, he noted.

Out of Rs 3,077 crore, only Rs 1,076 crore (34 per cent) has been used in Special Development Projects, Ashoka said.

He claimed that no proper utilisation of state funds has been done as promised by the Congress government.

Ashoka criticised the Congress government for slashing allocations to key welfare schemes compared to the BJP's budget allocated while it was in power in the state.

In Ambedkar Development Corporation (Ganga Kalyana Scheme) the BJP allocated Rs 60 crore in 2022-23, the Congress-led government reduced it to Rs 40 crore, the BJP leader said, while slamming the state government.

"In Ambedkar Development Corporation (Self-Employment Scheme) the BJP allocated Rs 100 crore; Congress reduced it to Rs 45 crore. BJP gave Rs 110 crore for the Tanda Development Corporation, Congress slashed it to Rs 60 crore," Ashoka added.

"The BJP provided Rs 100 crore for the Veerashaiva-Lingayat Development Corporation. While the Congress reduced it to Rs 60 crore," he said.

"BJP allocated Rs 274.68 crore for temples and religious institutions whereas the Congress slashed it to Rs 17.50 crore," Ashoka added while criticising the Congress government.

"Towards the maintenance of Hindu burial grounds, the BJP allocated Rs 25 crore; Congress reduced it to Rs 10 crore. For Weavers' Welfare Schemes, the BJP provided Rs 125.77 crore; Congress allocated just Rs 10 crore," the BJP leader highlighted.

Ashoka accused the Congress government of pushing the state into darkness due to corruption and financial mismanagement.

He also alleged that key aides of Minister Priyank Kharge, some of whom are on the criminals list, have not been arrested yet.

Ashoka suspected that they might be under police protection.

He also claimed that during his tenure as State Transport Minister, bus depots were built, and revenue was generated through rentals.

However, he alleged that the current Congress government has failed to create infrastructure and has burdened BMTC with losses due to its policies.

Ashoka urged the Congress government to establish a task force to tackle the spread of new viruses.

He emphasised the need for oxygen facilities, audits by officials at district and taluk levels, and immediate preparation.

--IANS

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