2,500 coffee kiosks to be set up at Rs 25 crore: Karnataka Minister
Bengaluru (PTI): The state government has sanctioned Rs 25 crore to set up 2,500 coffee kiosks (Akka Cafe), which will be operated by women trained under SHGs, Minister M B Patil said on Thursday.
The initiative aims to strengthen the coffee value chain and promote economic empowerment through employment generation, he added.
The minister was speaking after inaugurating the India International Coffee Festival, organised by the Speciality Coffee Association of India (SCAI), at Palace Grounds in the city.
According to Patil, the Coffee Board, in collaboration with the National Rural Livelihood Mission–Karnataka, is providing training in coffee brewing, cafe management, and entrepreneurship to one lakh women associated with Self-Help Groups across the state.
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The government is also extending scholarships to children of workers employed in coffee estates and large plantations in Kodagu district, he said.
"It is encouraging that coffee growers themselves are branding their produce and showcasing it at the festival," Patil said in a statement issued by his office.
At the ‘Kala Loka’ outlet set up by the Industries Department at Kempegowda International Airport, coffee is being showcased and sold alongside more than 45 other GI-tagged products from the state, featuring distinctive packaging and branding, he noted.
The minister highlighted that coffee is cultivated over 2.2 lakh hectares in Karnataka, making the state the largest producer in the country.
Nearly 75 per cent of India’s total coffee production comes from the districts of Hassan, Kodagu, and Chikkamagaluru.
The Large and Medium Industries Minister said the festival has brought together growers, processors, exporters, roasters, cafes and hospitality service providers, equipment manufacturers, professionals, and consumers under one roof—a commendable initiative.
On the occasion, he visited several stalls at the festival, interacted with exhibitors, showed keen interest in various coffee varieties, and purchased some products.
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Karnataka Cabinet okays IPL matches at Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru
Bengaluru (PTI): The Karnataka Cabinet on Thursday decided to permit the KSCA to hold IPL matches at the Chinnaswamy Cricket Stadium here.
Cricket matches have remained suspended at the stadium after celebrations marking Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s (RCB) maiden IPL title win in June 2025 ended in tragedy, leaving 11 people dead and more than 30 injured in a stampede outside the venue.
The government had formed a committee headed by Justice John Michael Cunha to inquire into it. It gave a slew of recommendations.
Later, a panel led by Greater Bengaluru Authority Chief Commissioner M Maheshwar Rao was constituted to see whether the recommendations were fulfilled or not.
"Today we decided to allow Indian Premier League matches to be played, but the Cabinet asked the Home Department to fix conditions through issuing special orders (for the Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA) and RCB to fulfill them). The order may be issued in the next two days," Karnataka Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister H K Patil told reporters.
According to him, one of the conditions was that the gates should be widened.
The minister also said that the Cabinet discussed Special Intensive Revision. Some discussions took place on the manner and the process in which it is being conducted in some places. The Cabinet asked the Law and Parliamentary Affairs department to study it and submit a report, Patil said.
When asked whether the report will be submitted by the month end, he said, "definitely".
