Bengaluru (PTI): Karnataka Minister Sharan Prakash Patil on Saturday announced that the state has been allocated an additional 1,122 medical seats, offering a golden opportunity for aspiring healthcare professionals.

Addressing a press conference held at Vidhana Soudha here, Patil, who is the Minister for Medical Education, said Karnataka remains at the forefront in the field of medical education in the country, and the additional seats allocated to the state will benefit districts including Koppal, Gadag, Chamarajanagar, Karwar, Kaveri, and others.

For undergraduate seats, a central government grant of Rs 495 crore will be received. Similarly, a grant of Rs 541 crore will be provided for postgraduate medical seats, he said.

According to him, the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare gave its final approval on May 15. In total, the state will receive Rs 1,090 crore.

Allocation of over 1,000 medical seats to a single state is a record achievement and stands as a testament to Karnataka’s accomplishments, said Patil.

"Karnataka now offers abundant opportunities for those wishing to excel in the medical field, and students should make the best use of this," the Minister added.

Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.



Chandigarh (PTI): Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Saturday slammed Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his appeal to people to postpone foreign travels when he himself did not stop going abroad.

Modi on Sunday in his address to the nation called for judicious use of fuel, postponing gold purchases and foreign travel due to the West Asia crisis. He urged the people to use the metro, carpooling, increased use of electric vehicles and working from home to conserve foreign exchange.

Speaking to reporters here, Mann said, "First, the prime minister should stop his foreign visits. Where is he now? He has gone to the Netherlands. He will visit 3-4 more countries. He has asked people to avoid but he still went (on foreign visits). You are shutting down everything... do not buy gold, do not undertake foreign visits, work from home."

He asked, "Why doesn't the PM work from home?"

The Punjab chief minister also took on the BJP-led Centre for increasing prices of petrol and diesel.

"We were to become 'vishwaguru' but we have become 'vishwachele'. The war is happening somewhere else but restrictions are being imposed here. Why has no other country implemented it (restrictions)?" he asked.

Mann said people across the country are struggling with inflation, rising transport costs and increasing household expenditure, but instead of providing relief, the Centre is asking citizens to reduce personal spending.

"Thankfully, the PM only advised people to save money and didn't ask them to beat 'thalis' and clap again," he said in a dig.

The Aam Aadmi Party leader asserted that instead of symbolic gestures and lectures, people expect practical steps to control inflation and reduce the financial burden on households, farmers and small businesses.

Petrol and diesel prices were hiked by Rs 3 per litre each on Friday, the first rate increase in more than four years, amid mounting losses to fuel retailers due to surging global crude prices.

Modi has reduced the size of his convoy, prompting several BJP chief ministers and other leaders to adopt similar measures.

The prime minister is on a six-day tour of the United Arab Emirates (UAE), the Netherlands, Sweden, Norway and Italy to discuss bilateral ties.

Meanwhile, on the Bhakra water-sharing issue, Mann asserted that Punjab will preserve its water rights at every cost. He said Haryana would receive water strictly according to its legally scheduled quota and not before the stipulated timeline.

"Punjab will not compromise on its water rights under any pressure," he said. The chief minister said water is an emotional, economic and agricultural lifeline for Punjab and his government is fully committed to protecting every drop.

Punjab has no spare water to share with any other state, he said.

To a question on the upcoming local body polls, Mann said his party will be victorious.

Mann praised his government's work on the job and infrastructure front, and attacked Shiromani Akali Dal, claiming that the party steadily lost both public support and credibility due to years of political decline and disconnect from people's aspirations.

Akalis no longer command the trust they once enjoyed among Punjabis, he said.