1. Farm Crisis Deepens;156 Talukas Declared Drought-Hit
The Karnataka government on Wednesday, 26 December declared 156 out of the 176 talukas of the state drought hit in the wake of a failed northeast monsoon. This has added to the growing call for the speedy implementation of the farm loan waiver to mitigate the deepening agrarian distress.
The declaration comes months after several districts of the state were hit by floods and landslides, wiping out thousands of acres of agricultural and rich coffee growing land, and claimed more than 100 human lives, besides several animals.
The Karnataka state natural disaster monitoring centre said the dry spell continued unabated during the northeast monsoon (1 October to 26 December) and the state recorded 49% deficit in rainfall. North interior Karnataka, which accounts for 90% of rabi sowing, recorded a deficit of 66%, it said.
(Source: Livemint)
2. Palace Road to be Named After Wadiyar
Palace Road in the city is all set to be named after Srikantadatta Narasimharaja Wadiyar, scion of the erstwhile Mysore royal family.
The move aims to recognise the contributions of the royal family to the city and the state. The BBMP council will take up the matter on Thursday and it is likely to get approval as there is little scope for opposition.
The road extends from Mysore Bank Circle and circumvents the Palace Grounds. “Though not officially named, it’s been called Palace Road over the years. We’re now naming it after the late scion of the royal family. The proposal was moved in August and the council is yet to approve it,” BBMP mayor Gangambike Mallikarjun said.
(Source: The Times of India)
3. New Karnataka Ministers Likely to be Allocated Portfolios on 27 December
With senior ministers of the Congress demanding plum portfolios and the state party leadership finding it difficulty to finalise allocation, All-India Congress Committee (AICC) president Rahul Gandhi is expected to clear the final list of eight ministers on Thursday, 27 December.
Sources in the Congress said portfolios are expected to be allocated after AICC general secretary in-charge of Karnataka KC Venugopal meets Gandhi and gets the list approved.
After a two-hour meeting with Congress leaders on Wednesday, 26 December, Venugopal said, “The list of portfolios will be approved by the Congress president very very soon.” Asked about dissidence in the party after the Cabinet expansion, he said, “The party is very much intact. Nobody is leaving it.”
(Source: The Hindu)
4. 'It was a Revenge Killing': Eyewitness to JD(S) Leader's Death in Karnataka
Two days after a JD(S) leader from Karnataka’s Mandya region was brutally hacked to death, the Maddur Police have registered an FIR against eight persons in connection with the case. An FIR has been registered at the Mandya Town Police Station under sections 143 (unlawful assembly), 146 (rioting), 148 (rioting with a deadly weapon), 341 (wrongful restraint), 307 (attempted murder), 302 (murder), 120B (criminal conspiracy to commit an offence punishable with death), 114 (abatement to an offense) and 149 (unlawful assembly with common intention to commit an offense).
A brick factory owner from Mandya, Abhilash, who was with the deceased leader - Honnalagere Prakash, filed a complaint and identified the assailants. According to Abhilash, his friends Moganna, Vinay Kumar and Prakash got into a car after having lunch at a restaurant in Maddur. At around 4:20 pm, they stopped near a repair shop as one of the car’s doors had developed a scratch.
(Source: The Newsminute)
5. President to Take Part in Pejawar Seer’s Fete
Elaborate security arrangements have been made in the temple town ahead of President Ram Nath Kovind’s visit on Thursday, 27 December. The president will be here to felicitate Sri Vishwesha Theertha Swami of Pejawar Adhokshaja Mutt as the seer is completing 80th year of his initiation into sainthood.
National Security Guard commandos will provide security to Sri Krishna temple premises during the president’s visit to the temple. More than 900 police personnel will be on duty during the president’s visit to the town. Vehicular traffic on various routes has been diverted.
(Source: Deccan Herald)
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