Cong, SP denied Lord Ram's existence; conspired against devotees: Adityanath
Gorakhpur (PTI): Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Monday accused the past governments of the Congress and Samajwadi Party (SP) of denying the existence of Lord Ram and conspiring against his devotees.
He made the remark while addressing the forest-dwelling communities at a public gathering in the Vantangiya village, where he inaugurated and laid the foundation stones for 133 development projects worth Rs 49 crore.
This marked the ninth consecutive year that he celebrated Diwali with the Vantangiya villagers as the chief minister.
"Foreign invaders once humiliated Ayodhya, and later, Congress governments made a vile attempt to deny the existence of Lord Ram. The SP government, too, shed the blood of Ram devotees through its conspiracies," Adityanath alleged.
"Today, Ayodhya stands renewed and divine, inspiring the entire world," he added.
He said the grand Deepotsav of Ayodhya has become a "symbol of prosperity and good governance". Adityanath emphasised that the Ayodhya airport has been named after Maharshi Valmiki, a local eatery after Mata Shabari, and a key intersection after legendary singer Lata Mangeshkar.
Statues of prominent southern saints have been installed, and temples dedicated to sages Valmiki and Vishwamitra now stand within the Ram temple complex, he said, adding that the city "unites people today" rather than dividing them.
During the event, the chief minister distributed symbolic house keys under the CM Awas Yojana, Ayushman cards, approval letters for livestock schemes, and certificates from the horticulture department. He also presented "Diwali gifts" to several beneficiaries and inaugurated exhibitions showcasing government welfare schemes.
State Fisheries Minister and Nishad Party president Sanjay Nishad said other states were learning from Adityanath's welfare model.
Local legislators Vipin Singh and Mahendra Pal Singh praised the chief minister's leadership for "uplifting the long-neglected" Vantangiya community.
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Power tariffs under BESCOM to rise from May 1
Bengaluru (PTI): Power bills for consumers under the Bangalore Electricity Supply Company Limited (BESCOM) will go up from May 1, following an order issued by the Karnataka Electricity Regulatory Commission (KERC) on Friday.
The hike comes after KERC allowed the BESCOM to recover a revenue deficit of Rs 2,068 crore incurred in 2024-25, from the consumers.
As a result, for every unit of electricity consumed in 2024-25, the customers will be charged an additional 56 paise, it said.
"BESCOM shall calculate, for each of the active consumers of FY2024-25 the amount to be recovered based on their actual energy consumption during FY2024-25. Such amount shall be recovered during FY 2026-27 in equal monthly instalments, to be called as 'FY25 True up Charges', commencing from the first meter reading date falling on or after 1 May 2026 and concluding with the reading date ending on 30 April 2027," the order said.
"It is further ordered that BESCOM shall maintain a separate head of account, allocated for the purpose, to record the adjustment of the said amount to ensure full recovery of the deficit," it added.
Similarly Chamundeshwari Electricity Supply Corporation Limited (CESC) has also recorded a revenue deficit of Rs 121.71 crore and can collect an additional 15 paisa per unit for consumption in 2024-25, official sources said.
