Shakti scheme of Karnataka government affecting state-run transport corporations: Ex-CM Bommai
Mangaluru: Former Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai expressed concern over the insufficient grant released by the state government for the implementation of the Shakti scheme, which aims to benefit women through state-run transport corporations.
In a tweet directed at Transport Minister Ramalinga Reddy on Thursday, Bommai highlighted the financial challenges faced by the transport corporations due to the inadequate funding.
According to Bommai, the Transport Department had allocated Rs. 250 crore to four transport corporations to support the Shakti Yojana, which allowed women in the state to travel free on buses operated by the transport corporations for 20 days in June. However, on August 1, Reddy released only Rs. 125 crore to reimburse the travel expenses incurred during the scheme.
Bommai emphasized that the grant provided by the government falls far short of the actual demand of the state-run transport corporations, which were already struggling with financial losses. The inadequate funding would further hamper their ability to pay salaries to staff members, maintain the buses, and cover the expenses of purchasing diesel for the operations.
In a personal message to Reddy, Bommai stated that he was not resorting to politics by misleading the people of the state. He claimed to have fulfilled his responsibility by conveying the truth to the people after thoroughly assessing the orders of the Transport Department.
ಸಾರಿಗೆ ಸಚಿವರಾದ ಶ್ರೀ ರಾಮಲಿಂಗಾರೆಡ್ಡಿಯವರೇ ಶಕ್ತಿ ಯೋಜನೆ ಅಡಿ ರಾಜ್ಯದಲ್ಲಿ ಮಹಿಳೆಯರು ಸಾರಿಗೆ ನಿಗಮದ ಬಸ್ ಗಳಲ್ಲಿ ಜೂನ್ ತಿಂಗಳಲ್ಲಿ 20 ದಿನ ಉಚಿತ ಪ್ರಯಾಣ ಮಾಡಿರುವುದರಿಂದ ನಾಲ್ಕು ಸಾರಿಗೆ ನಿಗಮಗಳಿಗೆ 250 ಕೋಟಿ ರೂ. ವೆಚ್ಚವಾಗಿದ್ದು, ಪ್ರಯಾಣ ವೆಚ್ಚದ ಮರು ಪಾವತಿ ಮಾಡಲು ನಾಲ್ಕೂ ನಿಗಮಗಳಿಗೆ ಆಗಸ್ಟ್ 1 ರಂದು 125 ಕೋಟಿ ಬಿಡುಗಡೆ…
— Basavaraj S Bommai (@BSBommai) August 3, 2023
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Six foreign nationals held for alleged prostitution in Bengaluru
Bengaluru (PTI): Six foreign women were arrested after they were found to be allegedly engaged in illegal activities by soliciting men in a public place for prostitution, police said on Tuesday.
The arrests were made by the Women Protection Wing of the Central Crime Branch (CCB) on April 24, they said.
Police, however, have not disclosed the nationalities of the women in the statement.
According to police, the operation was carried out following a tip off that some foreign women were standing near the footpath of the bus stop close to Madiwala Check Post, within the jurisdiction of Koramangala Police Station here and were soliciting men passing by on the road for prostitution.
Based on this information, the officers and staff of the CCB Women Protection Wing immediately visited the spot and conducted a verification, they said.
During the operation, it was found that six foreign women were engaging in illegal activities by soliciting men in a public place for prostitution, a statement issued by the office of the police commissioner stated.
Acting swiftly, the officers and staff conducted a raid and secured all six foreign women. Upon inquiry regarding their passports and visas, they failed to provide valid and satisfactory information, it said.
"Subsequently, all six foreign women were produced before the Koramangala Police Station along with a report for further legal action. In this regard, a case has been registered at Koramangala Police Station, and further investigation is in progress," the police statement added.
