'Gruha Jyoti' free electricity scheme can be availed by tenants as well: CM Siddaramaiah
Bengaluru (PTI): Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Tuesday said tenants are also eligible to avail the Gruha Jyoti' scheme, under which 200 units of free power will be provided to all domestic consumers in the state from July 1.
The clarification comes a day after the Congress government had issued guidelines to avail the free electricity under the scheme.
"We will provide free power (up to 200 units) to those living in rented accommodation as well. Poor people who consume less than 200 units of power will not have to pay the bills. This (scheme) will be applicable to the tenants," Siddaramaiah told reporters here.
He also clarified that this scheme was not applicable for commercial usage.
The 'Gruha Jyoti' scheme was one of the 5 guarantees promised by the Congress ahead of the 2023 assembly elections.
Reacting to BJP's protest against the power tariff hike as well as the state government's decision to revisit the anti-cow slaughter law enacted by the then Yediyurappa government, Siddaramaiah sought to know what moral right the saffron party has to protest.
The Chief Minister accused the BJP of 'plundering' the state when in power and bringing a bad name to the state.
"The BJP leaders are protesting because they have nothing else to do. What moral rights do they have?" he asked.
According to Siddaramaiah, the BJP did not fulfill any of its election promises such as 10 hours free power, waiving farm loans and spending Rs 1.5 lakh crore on irrigation.
Charging the BJP with finding fault with the pro-people measures, the CM said, "These people (BJP) are anti-people party. They looted and indulged in bribery when they were in power, brought a bad name to the state and then left. What to say when they come to preach us?"
Meanwhile, the BJP's protest against the hike in power tariff by Rs 2.89 per unit and state Animal Husbandry Minister K Venkatesh's remark over the anti-cow slaughter law, entered the second day.
Protests took place in different parts of the state including Bengaluru, Mysuru, and Davangere.
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Real Madrid fines Valverde and Tchouaméni half a million euros each for altercation
Barcelona (AP): Real Madrid slapped players Federico Valverde and Aurélien Tchouaméni with half-a-million-euro ($588,000) fines on Friday for their altercation during practice.
The massive fines came a day after the midfielders tussled when the team trained. Valverde said in a post on social media on Thursday that no punches were thrown. But Valverde knocked his head on a table and he suffered a small cut that required a brief hospital visit.
On social media, Valverde initially called it a “meaningless fight” with a teammate and said “everything has been blown out of proportion."
His employers, however, considered it a significant enough breach of team discipline to nail both Valverde and Tchouaméni with fines that bite even the bank account of a top soccer player. The half-a-million euro penalties reflect the reputational damage the club was enduring in a chaotic end to a disappointing season.
In a statement, the 15-time European champion said its disciplinary action was concluded after both players expressed to the club “their complete remorse for what happened and apologized to one another.”
Madrid added they also apologized to their teammates, the coaching staff and club supporters, as well as showing their willingness to accept whatever disciplinary action the club deemed “opportune.”
Tchouaméni was back training with Madrid on Friday, two days before they play at Barcelona in a clasico. Madrid has to win otherwise Barcelona will be crowned La Liga champion.
After being notified of the fine, he posted a public apology to the club and its fans on social media.
“What happened this week in training is unacceptable,” Tchouaméni wrote. "I say this while thinking about the example we are expected to set for young people, whether in football or at school.
“Above all, I am sorry for the image we projected of the club.”
Valverde was not at practice due to the head knock.
Both players are set to play in the World Cup next month, with Tchouaméni playing for France and Valverde for Uruguay.
Chaotic end to a poor season
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The run-in between the players, who for seasons have played side by side in Madrid's midfield, came after they argued this week in previous training sessions. But tempers boiled over on Thursday. Spanish media was rife with reports that the players previously disagreed over the club's decision to let coach Xabi Alonso go after just months on the job.
It was not the only altercation involving Madrid players during training this week. Álvaro Carreras confirmed he was in a “minor” incident with a teammate. Spanish media said he and fellow defender Antonio Rüdiger got into a scuffle.
Álvaro Arbeloa, the coach who was promoted from Madrid's reserve team when Alonso was fired in January, will face tough questions on what went wrong inside the changing room when he gives a press conference on Saturday ahead of the clasico at Camp Nou.
Madrid is facing a second consecutive campaign without a major trophy amid rumors in the Spanish media that club president Florentino Pérez is considering bringing back Jose Mourinho to straighten out his underperforming team.
