We'll build a strong police force: Acharya

Hailing the success of government programmes in naxal-affected areas, Home Minister V.S. Acharya said here on Saturday that Karnataka did not figure in the list of naxal-affected States. Hence, the State had not been invited for the meeting of Chief Ministers to discuss with the naxal problem, convened by the Prime Minister.

However, the Government would continue combing operations in some parts of the State, he said.

Dr. Acharya was speaking at the launch of the Police Control Room Vans (PCRV) and CCTV network in the city.

He said that Union Home Minister Chidambaram had expressed satisfaction over the law and order in the State.

The Government was committed to building a strong police force and modernising the department. The Chief Minister had earmarked enough funds for it. The Government planned to open 25 police stations, including eight traffic police stations by December, he said.

On the issue of unscientific road humps, Dr. Acharya said a special meeting of the Police, Urban Development and other departments concerned had been convened to discuss the issue. A decision would be taken soon to remove unscientific humps across the State and prevent fatal accidents, he added.

The Minister said that all districts in the State would have interceptor vehicles soon, to keep up with the increasing traffic. “At present, only 17 districts have interceptors, each costing Rs. 23 lakh,” he said.

Meanwhile, Minister for Law and Parliamentary Affairs S. Suresh Kumar, who is the district-incharge, asked people to follow traffic rules.

Effective policing

The police upgraded security measures for the city on Saturday, with the launch of the PCRV and CCTV network.

Speaking on the occasion, Police Commissioner Sunil Agarwal said the upgrade was aimed at effective policing.

A hi-tech van would be positioned at 14 different locations to respond quickly during an emergency. The multi-utility vehicles would be equipped with fire-fighting equipment, first-aid kit and necessary tools. As many as 42 closed circuit television cameras had been installed across the city to ensure the safety of the public, Mr. Agarwal said.

Director-General and Inspector-General of Police Ajai Kumar Singh and A.H. Vishwanath, MP, were present. (The Hindu)

24.07.2010

22.07.2010: Cabinet meet

Karnataka to extend drip irrigation scheme to entire state

Under the scheme, the government would grant 75 per cent subsidy to farmers who opt for water conserving method of irrigation for raising crops.The decision taken at the cabinet meeting,chaired by Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa, would cost the exchequer Rs 112 crore annually, Home minister Dr V S Acharya told reporters.

• The cabinet approved bringing all private educational institutions started between 1987 to 1994 under grant-in-aid code, a measure that would cost Rs 125 crore However, he did not quantify the number of institutions that would benefit.
• The cabinet decided to constitute a sub-committee to study and suggest ways of implementing the recommendations of the one-man judicial commission headed by retired judge K J Shetty which went into the June 10, 2008 police firing in Haveri in which two farmers were killed.He said the Commission has in all made nine recommendations and felt that the stir in protest against short supply of fertlizers, which led to the firing, was "politically motivated".
• Acharya said the Karnataka Horticultural Federation will procure and sell vegetables and fruits in nine districtrs of Mandya, Shimgoa, Chitradurga, Hubli, Dharwad, Belgaum, Tumkur, Davanagere and Gulbarga for which Rs five crore funds have been sanctioned.
• In accordance with recommendations of Karnataka Foundation for Science and Technology headed by Prof C N R Rao, the government would provide Rs 10 lakh grant to each of the 30 Post Graduate level education institutes to upgrade laboratory equipment and Rs 20 lakh each to 10 institutions, he said.
• It has been decided to increase the share capital of the Minority Development Corporation from Rs 60 crore to Rs 100 crore, he said.
• A mini fishing jetty would be built at a cost of Rs 30 crore Udupi district and Rs 10.45 crore has been sanctioned to set up 10 artificial insemination centres in eight districts of North Karnataka region, he said.
• The acting chairman of the Karnataka Administrative Tribunal A C Kabbin has been elevated as its chairman, he said.
• Mulky and Moodabidri towns have been included under the jurisdiction of Mangalore Poilce Commissionerate, Acharya said. (DHNS)

New Delhi

Facts from the Past

...Sticking to its stand, the government reiterated it would not order a CBI probe as Home Minister V S Acharya accused the Opposition of being “obsessed with CBI.”"We have seen how CBI functions,” Acharya told reporters after the Legislative Council was adjourned for the day as the opposition continued its dharna, disrupting the proceedings for the third straight day.

He asked why the then Home Minister M Mallikarjuna Kharge rejected the demand of the then Opposition for a CBI probe into the multi-crore fake stamp paper racket when the Congress was in power in the state.
He also referred to other cases in the past where the then Congress government had turned down similar demands. (keralabhooshanam)

Karnataka Govt rules out CBI probe into mining scam

Karnataka Government on Tuesday ruled out a CBI probe into the illegal iron ore mining and export scam, even as the stand-off with the Opposition showed no signs of resolution. "We will not accept (not order a probe)," state Home Minister V S Acharya said in the Legislative Council.

He sought to the Opposition what the then Home Minister M Mallikarjuna Kharge (currently Union Labour and Employment Minister) commented about the CBI (while rejecting the Opposition demand for the investigating agency's probe when the NDA was in power).

Opposition Congress and JDS have repeatedly said they would continue their dharna till the Government ordered a CBI probe into the alleged scam. (PTI/HT)

Karnataka leads in education sector

MANGALORE: The state government has identified five key areas for all-round development of Karnataka, home minister V S Acharya said here on Saturday. The areas include the social sector covering education, health, and hygiene, physical infrastructure, agriculture, people oriented schemes, and language, arts, and culture. The concerted focus on these areas is gaining recognition for the state not just from local, but global leaders, he said.

Inaugurating Sharada College managed by Tulunadu Educational Trust, Acharya said education is an important sector that determines the future of the youth. The state government during this year's budget has set aside Rs 10,500 crore for education against allocation of Rs 4,500 crore a few years back. This is enabling the state to bring more schools under its grant-in-aid scheme, and open new ITI's, he said.

Karnataka through its strong base in education is being reckoned as knowledge driven economy and the state is far ahead of national average when it comes to indices governing this sector. "We have qualitative and quantitative education being imparted in the state," he said adding the emphasis is on providing quality education at all times. Participation of private players in education is helping the state retain its edge in this area, he noted. (TOI/TNN) Photo:Daijiworld

62 years of wait!

Save Water

Hysteria is only possible with an audience

Are Karnataka's campuses the hotbed of Naxal sympathizers? "To some extent, yes,'' home minister V S Acharya maintained.

"There are reports of some Naxal sympathisers in universities and colleges of the state. As of now, I cannot reveal more details,'' he told in the council on Thursday.

Describing Naxalism as "hysteria'', Acharya said: "We should carefully curb the audience to Naxals similar to the hysteric treatment, I seek cooperation from all quarters in this regard.'' (TOI)

Unscientific, Unnecessary Road Humps

Bangalore: The unscientifically built road humps across the city was something Bangaloreans were complaining about for long, as they not only posed a threat to the spines of motorists, but also to vehicles. Finally, on Thursday, it seemed that the pain was felt by the law makers too, as members of the legislative council raised concerns over the killer humps.

Home minister VS Acharya stated that the badly made road humps were responsible for several fatal accidents and said that he would write to the city traffic police and other authorities to clear the unscientifically built ones.

Citing the road humps in the Vidhana Soudha campus itself, Acharya said, “When vehicles pass over these humps, the spine is hurt, and speeding vehicles often meet with accidents if they fail to slow down at these humps.

The government builds good highways like the one between Bangalore and Mysore, but also constructs such unscientific speed breakers.”

He added that he had to write to the deputy commissioners of four districts along that stretch to clear the road off the humps, and said that the 60-km stretch between Bellary and Hospet taluks alone had 90 speed breakers that were unnecessary.

Acharya said as per the Indian Road Congress (IRC), an ideal road hump should be four inches high and 11.5 feet wide, and added, “However, not many speed breakers are designed as per specifications.”

Following a question raised by a council member, Abdul Azeem, on the statistics of accidents caused due to road humps, Acharya said there was no record of it, but that several road accidents were caused by speed breakers.

Council member RV Venkatesh also cited the death of Congress worker Gunashekar, who died in a road mishap on Wednesday night that was caused due to an unscientifically constructed speed breaker.

Acharya added that at spots where speed breakers were necessary, the government was placing rumblers to caution vehicles of a road hump ahead.

It may be recalled that the Lokayukta had earlier submitted a report to the state government on the illegal speed breakers mushrooming in the city and other towns.The report said that Bangalore alone had over 1,000 illegal road humps and recommended their removal. (Rohit BR/DNA) also in (TheHindu)

Fuel & Tax

Entry tax is 5% on fuel while sales tax is 25% on petrol and 18% on diesel respectively. There is no entry tax for diesel. The BJP government has put the onus on the Centre to reduce fuel rates, maintaining it had brought down sales tax on petrol from 28% to 25% and diesel from 20 to 18% within a month of its coming to power in 2008.

According to Dr Acharya, taxes are the highest in Karnataka compared to New Delhi because of transportation costs, despite Mangalore having an oil refinery. "Though New Delhi has no refinery, it’s considered a zero transport place. However from Karnataka, transport equalization charge is collected for fuel being transported from Chennai and Cochin. The Mangalore refinery is not taken into account. If this is done, the government can sell petrol and diesel at a lower rate in at least eight to 10 districts," (TOI)

06.07.2010

05.07.2010

'Lathicharge wasn't on farmers'

BANGALORE: The government on Thursday clarified that police lathicharge on June 27 was against protesters trying to destroy public property, and not on farmers.

Police lathi-charged a group of people protesting on the Bangalore Mysore Infrastructure Corridor (BMIC) road. Their grievance: the government didn't invite a section of representatives to a meeting convened by chief minister B S Yeddyurappa on BMIC.

Home minister V S Acharya, replying to A S Patil (Congress) in the assembly on Thursday said people who faced police action were not farmers at all. They were a group of people causing damage to public property, besides disrupting traffic.

"Cases have been booked against over 30 people for causing damage and injuring 11 policemen, including one DySP, one sub-inspector, 3 ASIs. These protesters were threatening the users of BMIC road by holding iron rods and wooden logs," Acharya said. (TOI)