Mangaluru, November 20: Housing and Urban Development Minister UT Khader said that for the first time in the country, the state government is bringing in new telecom policy to set up telecom tower in Karnataka.

Speaking to reporters here on Tuesday, the Minister said that the companies have to get the permission from the government compulsorily and follow certain norms to set up telecom towers in the state. As per the policy, tower should not be constructed within 50 meters radius of schools and colleges, worshipping centres and hospitals.

The companies have to pay certain taxes to the BBMP, city corporations, city municipal councils, town municipal councils, town panchayats and gram panchayats to get the licences. The government has fixed Rs 1 lakh tax in BBMP limits, Rs 30,000 in city corporation limits, Rs 25,000 in city corporation, and Rs 15,000 in gram panchayat limits to get the licences. For the existing towers, the companies or owners were given three months time to get licence from the concerned authorities, the Minister said.

Rs 198 cr funds for drinking water project in Mangaluru constituency

The Cabinet has approved the sanction of Rs 198 crore for the drinking water project from the Thumbe vented dam to the Mangaluru Assembly constituency, he said.

Barrage, bridge across Nethravathi river at Harekala

The government has approved Rs 178 crore project to construct barrage and a bridge across Nethravathi river at Adyar Harekala. The project would be implemented to avoid sea water entering into the river and helpful to drinking water. The KUIDFC and the city corporation would construct a market and a commercial complex at Kankanady in the city at a cost of Rs 41 crore. It was planned to open a division of Jayadeva Institute of Cardiology in Mangaluru, he said.

Centre fixed price for sugarcane, not CM

The central government held a discussion with the sugarcane farmers and fixed the price. But the BJP and the people have been accusing about the Chief Minister. It was the central government which fixed the price and not the state government, he said.

Mayor Bhaskar, former mayor Shashidhar Hegde, Congress leader Mamatha Gatti, Sadashiva Ullala and others were present.

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Jaipur (PTI): Former Rajasthan chief minister Ashok Gehlot on Thursday expressed concern over the reported attacks and disruptions in prayer gatherings of the Christian community in different parts of the country, saying such incidents were "worrying and condemnable".

In a post on X, Gehlot said that while the Prime Minister Narendra Modi was visiting a church and giving a message of peace and harmony, news of attacks on members of the Christian community from various regions reflected a serious contradiction.

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"Symbolic gestures would not be enough, and strict legal action was required against those spreading hatred," the senior Congress leader said.

He added that Indian culture has always upheld the spirit of "Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam", where every citizen has full freedom to practise their faith.

Gehlot urged the Centre and state governments to uphold the rule of law and ensure that no citizen is forced to celebrate their festival under fear.