Karnataka govt to table budget on March 8
Bengaluru, Feb 18: The Karnataka cabinet on Thursday decided to present the annual budget for the year 2021-22 on March 8.
"Budget will be tabled on March 8. The budget session will go on till March end," Karnataka Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Basavaraj Bommai told reporters after the cabinet meeting.
He said the session will start on March 4 and will go on till the month end.
There would be a debate on 'One Nation, One Election' on March 5.
During the meeting, the cabinet gave its nod for road construction under the Phase-3 of Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana at an estimated cost of Rs 1,848.95 crore.
Under this scheme, 2,201.74 km road laying work will be taken up in the rural areas of the state.
The government decided to establish an Agriculture college in Chamarajanagar as announced in the 2018-19 budget.
The work will be completed in three years at an estimated cost of Rs 35 crore.
The state government also resolved to increase the compensation to land owners giving up their land for industrial projects.
The cabinet also gave its approval to amend sections 38 and 39 of the Karnataka Money Lenders Act, enhancing punishment from six months to one year for first time offenders and two years and above for repeated offence.
The fine has also been increased from Rs 5,000 to Rs 50,000.
The state government has decided to upgrade eight maternal child hospitals and two general hospitals for which Rs 199 crore sanctioned under the National Health Mission.
It also sanctioned Rs 700 crore as payments to the government and private hospitals for treating COVID-19 patients till March this year.
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NCW chief condemns rape-murder of 4-year-old girl in Pune, calls for swift action
New Delhi (PTI): National Commission for Women (NCW) Chairperson Vijaya Rahatkar has condemned the alleged rape and murder of a four-year-old girl in Maharashtra's Pune, calling it "deeply distressing" and a "blot on humanity".
The girl was allegedly raped and killed by a 65-year-old labourer, who has a criminal record, in Bhor tehsil of Pune on Friday. The accused allegedly lured the child to a cattle enclosure on the pretext of giving her food. After raping her, he killed her by hitting her with a stone, according to police.
The accused has been arrested.
In a post on X on Saturday, Rahatkar said the incident in the Nasrapur area in Pune was heartbreaking and has shaken society.
"The brutal torture and murder of a four-year-old innocent girl in Nasrapur (Bhor, Pune) is deeply painful, heartbreaking, and shocking. It is a blot on humanity," she said.
She said Pune Rural police has arrested the accused and noted that Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and Deputy Chief Minister Sunetra Pawar have assured strict action in the case.
Rahatkar said the NCW has taken cognisance of the matter and written to the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR), requesting the body to ensure necessary and prompt action.
It has also been recommended that the case be pursued under stringent provisions of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act and be closely monitored from the filing of the chargesheet to proceedings in a fast-track special court to ensure time-bound justice, she added.
Ensuring justice for the victim and stringent punishment for the accused is a collective responsibility, the NCW chairperson underlined.
In a post on X, the NCW said it has taken suo motu cognisance of the extremely "heinous" incident.
"This heinous crime causes profound pain and outrage, and it highlights serious concerns regarding the safety of young girls," it said.
Strongly condemning this grave "inhuman act", the NCW said such crimes constitute a serious violation of children's rights and raise questions about society's security system.
