1. KPCC Dissolved; Dinesh Gundurao, Khandre Survive Post-Election Pink Slips
In the first move to rebuild Congress in Karnataka following its dismal performance in the Lok Sabha polls and to counter the simmering dissent, the high command on Wednesday dissolved the state unit, retaining only president Dinesh Gundurao and working chief Eshwar Khandre.
AICC general secretary KC Venugopal, also in-charge of Karnataka, said all heads and members of election and campaign committees would be changed. The KPCC had around 200 officebearers, including vice-presidents, general secretaries, secretaries and members of various committees with specific responsibilities.
Gundurao said his focus would be to identify honest and committed workers and give them responsibilities.
(Source: The Times of India)
2. Police Constables’ Hardship Allowance Doubled
The state government has issued orders hiking ‘hardship allowance’ for police constables from Rs 1,000 to Rs 2,000 a month.
A Government Order (GO) was issued in this regard on Wednesday. While constables were given hardship allowance of Rs 1,000 through a GO in November 2016, the 6th Pay Commission for State government employees recommended continuation of the allowance. The JD(S)-Congress coalition had announced an enhancement to Rs 2,000 in the 2019-2020 budget presented by Chief Minister H.D Kumaraswamy.
The GO will come into force on July 1. The hike in allowance comes at a time when police personnel have been complaining about inordinate delay in implementing the report of ADGP Raghavendra Auradkar that recommends pay hikes to police personnel.
(Source: The Hindu)
3. Siddaramaiah to High Command: Pull out of Coalition With JD(S)
The demand in the Congress to sever ties with the JD(S) appears to be getting more vociferous following the party’s drubbing in the Lok Sabha elections.
Congress Legislature Party leader Siddaramaiah and senior MLA HK Patil, who have been in Delhi since Tuesday, reportedly tried to convince the party high command to scrap the alliance with the JD(S), claiming that it is doing the Congress more harm than good. Siddaramaiah met AICC president Rahul Gandhi, AICC general secretary Karnataka in-charge KC Venugopal and senior party leader AK Anthony, while Patil met Venugopal separately.
According to a source, Siddaramaih told Rahul that the party would have won more seats if it had faced the elections alone and also pointed out the futility of its alliance with the JD(S). “The sooner we take a call on ties with the JD(S), the better for the Congress’ future in Karnataka,” Siddaramaiah reportedly told the high command.
(Source: The Times of India)
4. Explained: How Islamic Banking is Used in Scams Like IMA Jewels
One missing scamster, Rs 2,000 crore at stake, and over 30,000 complaints filed within a week – the scam surrounding I Monetary Advisory (IMA) is one of the biggest financial frauds Bengaluru has witnessed in the recent past.
Using the loopholes in the law, the company’s chairman Mohammed Mansoor Khan had managed to evade scrutiny, including two RBI notices, for several years. But, eventually, Khan’s malpractices resulted in him absconding with the investments raised.
Even though the IMA scam is one of around 20 ponzi scams out of Bengaluru, at the heart of a scam is a clever manipulation of religious feelings and greed, using a banking system based on Islamic beliefs called ‘halal investment’ or ‘Islamic banking.’
What exactly is this religion-accepted banking system? And how does it work?
(Source: The Quint)
5. Probe Ordered After Insects Found in Rice Meant for Bengaluru Anganwadis
While the controversy over Akshaya Patra refusing to serve food cooked with onion and garlic in their midday meals in schools continues, the midday meal programme for anganwadis in Bengaluru has now made news for the wrong reasons. Bugs and insects have been found breeding in pulses and rice grains kept in the godowns and anganwadi centres in North Bengaluru.
“Lakshmannagara Centre in Okkalipura and two other centres in Yehalanka had insects in the food. We will be replacing all the food materials which are unfit for consumption. Our department will issue a notice to the MSNPC. This might have occurred due to the sudden change of weather, and some of the food was left unused as there were summer holidays in May,” Meenakshi, Child Development Project Officer (CDPO) Central told TNM.
(Source: The News Minute)
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