Kharge to address mega Congress rally in Nagaland on Oct 7
Kohima (PTI): The Nagaland unit of the Congress on Monday said that it will organise a mega rally to be addressed by the AICC president Mallikarjun Kharge in the state capital Kohima on October 7.
Announcing this, state Congress chief S Supongmeren Jamir also sought to downplay the proposed merger of NPF and NDPP, claiming it would not have any significant impact on the state's politics.
Jamir said that the October 7 rally at the Naga Solidarity Park here would focus on “save democracy, save secularism and save Nagaland", while also highlighting key agendas such as youth employment, entrepreneurship, good governance, and improved connectivity.
Besides Kharge, it will also be addressed by senior leaders like AICC general secretary KC Venugopal and AICC secretary in-charge of Nagaland Saptagiri Sankar Ulaka.
The programme would be followed by closed-door meetings with the Political Affairs Committee, District Congress presidents, and other senior leaders to chalk out the party’s strategy in the state and the Northeastern region for the 2028 elections.
Jamir, a Lok Sabha MP, expressed hope that more than 10,000 people would participate in the rally, stressing the importance of converting issues into electoral strength.
He also said other political parties could join the rally since the themes of protecting democracy and secularism were of common concern.
The Congress leader also said if the NPF and the NDPP are merged, it will not have much impact on Nagaland.
The Naga People’s Front (NPF) and the Nationalist Democratic Progressive Party (NDPP) have been in talks for a merger "to strengthen the regional force".
“It is simply regional parties putting all in one basket and would not have any effect,” said Jamir.
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Karnataka tanks hold strong water storage: Minister Boseraju
Bengaluru (PTI): Karnataka Minister N S Boseraju on Tuesday said that minor irrigation tanks across the state are holding good water storage levels, with the 3,788 tanks under the department’s jurisdiction providing life-sustaining water to a large agricultural command area of approximately 4,45,009 hectares.
In a statement, the Minister for Minor Irrigation, Boseraju, said that according to the latest data released by the department, a vast majority of the 3,788 minor irrigation tanks in the state have maintained good water levels.
Detailing the storage status, the report said that even in peak summer, 165 tanks are full.
Additionally, 1,355 tanks have retained more than 51 per cent capacity, 1,143 tanks have water levels up to 50 per cent, and 959 tanks are at roughly 30 per cent storage capacity.
District-wise, Davanagere leads the state in water storage, with 27 tanks remaining full even during summer. Chikkamagaluru follows closely with 46 full tanks, indicating strong water retention.
Other top-performing districts include Hassan, Tumakuru, and Kolar.
Boseraju, who also holds the portfolio of Science and Technology, said 1,184 tanks are being actively filled through 145 tank-filling lift irrigation projects under the Minor Irrigation Department.
He attributed the strong water retention to good monsoon rainfall and effective water management strategies of the government.
“It is encouraging to see such a substantial volume of water stored across our minor irrigation tanks by the end of March, remaining largely intact even as summer progresses. The fact that 1,355 tanks are nearly full and 165 tanks are brimming is a testament to the success of our tank-filling programmes and rejuvenation initiatives,” he said.
“By ensuring a continuous flow of water to these tanks through lift irrigation projects across departments, as well as supplying treated and surface water to the Bayaluseeme districts, we have taken proactive measures to prevent them from drying out during the summer,” the minister said.
According to him, these data points confirm that efforts to build a water-secure Karnataka are yielding strong results at the grassroots level.
“This water wealth preserved in our tanks will bring direct benefits to lakhs of farmers across the 4,45,009-hectare command area,” he added.
