Healthy nation can be a wealthy nation: Naidu
Hyderabad, Oct 7 : Vice PresidentM Venkaiah Naidu Sunday urged doctors to create awareness among people on the dangers posed by lifestyle diseases, saying a healthy nation can become a wealthy nation but not vice-versa.
Speaking after inaugurating a free medical camp here, Naidu stressed on the need to pay greater attention towards one's health and wellness as prevention was better than cure, an official release said.
Naidu noted that the country's spending on healthcare would naturally come down if people were healthy.
He lauded the Centre for launching 'Ayushman Bharat' to provide health insurance cover to five crore families in rural and 2.5 crore families in urban areas.
The scheme would provide coverage of up to Rs 5 lakh per family per year.
Later, giving away 'Rythu Nestham' awards, Naidu warned that farmers would give up agriculture unless farming was made profitable and viable.
He also suggested that the focus should be on bringing down the input costs and not on increasing productivity alone.
"The indiscriminate use of fertilisers, pesticides, electricity and water also need to be curbed," the release quoted theVice-Presidentas saying.
On the initiative taken by him to conduct national consultations on making agriculture profitable, Naidu said scientists must ensure that research outcome directly reaches farmers (Lab to Land).
Noting that zero budget natural farming promoted by eminent agriculturist Subhash Palekar was beneficial, the Vice President pointed out that it would help reduce costs and provide a stable income to farmers.
"It would also protect the consumers from ill-effects of pesticides. As a matter of fact, only 10 per cent of water and electricity would be required for natural farming when compared to normal farming," he claimed.
The Vice President also emphasised the importance of creating awareness among farmers to diversify to allied activities to increase their income.
Hailing Prime Minister Narendra Modi for increasing the Minimum Support Price of various crops and launching farmer-friendly schemes such as soil health cards and PM Krishi Sinchayee Yojana, the Vice President appealed to the private sector to step up investments in agriculture.
Observing that the Government, Parliament and the Media must accord the highest priority to health, education and agriculture, the Vice President said that scientists, agricultural research centres and Krishi Vigyan Kendras must make concerted efforts to make agriculture sustainable and profitable, the release added.
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CM Siddaramaiah alleges ‘criminal conspiracy’ in Sringeri recount, vows legal action
Bengaluru (PTI): Alleging a “criminal conspiracy” by BJP candidate D N Jeevaraj in the Sringeri Assembly poll recounting, Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah on Tuesday said the outcome was manipulated after valid postal ballot votes in favour of Congress leader T D Raje Gowda were tampered with during the recounting process.
Following a Karnataka High Court order on an election petition filed by Jeevaraj, challenging Raje Gowda’s election, the reverification and recounting were conducted on Saturday.
After the reverification and recount of postal ballots for the Sringeri Assembly constituency, votes polled in favour of Raje Gowda were reduced by 255, the returning officer said.
A report on the matter has been submitted to the Election Commission of India for further action, the officer added.
Congress leader Raje Gowda had won the 2023 Assembly polls from Sringeri by 201 votes, defeating his nearest rival Jeevaraj.
Addressing a press conference in Bengaluru, Siddaramaiah said the High Court had directed the recounting of postal ballots and that irregularities were noticed during the exercise conducted on May 2.
“This is a clear case of criminal conspiracy,” Siddaramaiah said, alleging that valid votes cast in favour of Raje Gowda were altered after being accepted by counting agents of all parties, including Congress, BJP, and JD(S).
He claimed that during the recounting of postal ballots, 255 votes were initially accepted as valid by all agents but were later tampered with by subordinate officials.
“There is a second mark on the votes polled in favour of Raje Gowda. They had accepted these as valid votes. Subsequently, another mark was made by officials. This is a clear case of criminal conspiracy,” he said.
When asked who was behind the alleged conspiracy, the CM replied, “It was hatched by Jeevaraj and others. It is planned.”
Siddaramaiah further alleged that the returning officer acted improperly by declaring the result despite the presence of an Election Commission observer during the recounting.
“Immediately after the counting, the returning officer announced the result. He should not have done so; this is against the law,” he said.
He pointed out that Raje Gowda had originally won by 201 votes, but after the recounting, the BJP candidate was declared the winner by 52 votes.
“The BJP has committed a criminal act of conspiracy. This is not vote chori but vote dacoity,” he alleged.
The CM said a police complaint had already been filed by Raje Gowda’s election agent, Sudhir Kumar, and emphasised the need for electoral integrity.
“We want transparency and free and fair elections. That is what our Constitution mandates,” he added.
Stating that the government would pursue legal remedies, Siddaramaiah said, “We are preparing an appeal challenging the returning officer’s announcement in a court of law.”
Responding to a separate query on elections in other states, the CM said there appeared to be an anti-incumbency factor in West Bengal, while results in Tamil Nadu were “surprising,” adding that Vijay’s party was emerging as the largest there.
Following the victory of party candidates in Bagalkote and Davanagere South, Siddaramaiah expressed confidence about future electoral prospects in Karnataka.
“Even in 2028, we will win the Assembly elections. We will come back,” the CM said.
Siddaramaiah added that he would order a forensic examination into the alleged tampering of postal ballots.
