News Analysis India

Tag: Chief Minister Siddaramaiah

  • Karnataka: CM Siddaramaiah asks banks not to adjust drought relief funds against farm loan dues

    Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Thursday asked banks not to adjust drought relief funds the government has released to individual farmers through a direct benefit transfer (DBT) against the dues of their agriculture loans.

    The CM, who chaired a meeting of deputy commissioners and zilla panchayat CEOs in the presence of ministers and department secretaries, said officials must ensure farmers got loans for the oncoming crop season on time. The government had already sent this year’s agriculture credit plans, and officials must now act by coordinating with bankers in districts, he said.

    Siddaramaiah disapproved of the way insurance firms were handling the crop loss insurance claims. Such conduct would bring bad name to the government, he said, and asked officials to discuss with insurance firms and make life easy for farmers.The monsoon had begun, and the deputy commissioners could not pay attention to development activities as they were busy with the conduct of Lok Sabha election. The state had received higher than normal rainfall in May and sowing operations had also begun. The government has targeted sowing in 68,000 hectares of land. The code of conduct was still in force. In view of this, all officials must work in close coordination and attend to priority work.AllUttar PradeshMaharashtraTamil NaduWest BengalBiharKarnatakaAndhra PradeshTelanganaKeralaMadhya PradeshRajasthanDelhiOther States

  • Karnataka: Govt writes to MEA, seeks cancellation of diplomatic passport of Revanna jr

    The State Government has written to the ministry of external affairs (MEA) seeking cancellation of the diplomatic passport issued to Hassan MP Prajwal Revanna for dodging summons from the special investigation team (SIT) probing complaints of sexual abuse of women, against him.

    The letter follows a special court issuing an arrest warrant against him, Home Minister G Parameshwara said on Tuesday.

    The first-time MP is seeking reelection from Hassan as an NDA candidate, and fled the country a day after the April 26 polls.Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, the home minister added, had already written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi calling for speedy cancellation of his passport.AllUttar PradeshMaharashtraTamil NaduWest BengalBiharKarnatakaAndhra PradeshTelanganaKeralaMadhya PradeshRajasthanDelhiOther StatesThe government asking for cancellation of the passport in accordance with the law was one thing. But a court has issued an arrest warrant now, and the government has followed up on its earlier letter with a fresh one, the minister said.If the MEA were to cancel Revanna Jr’s diplomatic passport, it would become impossible for the MP to stay on in a foreign country and would be forced to return, Parameshwara said. He also added that the MEA would have to respond to the state’s communication now.The SIT is probing complaints of sexual harassment alleged by the Hassan MP and widespread leaks of explicit videos days ahead of the polls.On May 18, the special court trying cases involving elected representatives ordered an arrest warrant against Revanna Jr after the SIT made an application seeking the same.

    The SIT has moved a step further in efforts to get the MP back in Bengaluru at the earliest after its look out notices and blue corner notice have not led to his return.