Kʼtaka: MLAs of coastal districts seek Rs 1,000-crore special package for infrastructure development
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Bengaluru: The BJP and Congress members have called on the state government to allocate Rs 1,000 crore for infrastructure development under the Karnataka Coastal Development Authority. The proposed funds would reportedly focus on rebuilding rain-affected roads, improving infrastructure, and promoting temple, beach, and eco-tourism across the three districts in a unified approach.
Additionally, the MLAs urged Chief Minister Siddaramaiah to declare Tulu as the official language of Karnataka by adopting a report submitted by a committee headed by Mohan Alva, founder of Alva’s Education Foundation, Moodabidri, in the State Cabinet, as reported by The Hindu.
The debate, started by V. Sunil Kumar, highlighted ongoing challenges faced by the coastal region, emphasising the need for annual funding from the state budget, akin to the allocations made for the Kalyana-Karnataka region. He criticised the government for neglecting the coastal region’s needs.
Kumar pointed out that no allocation has been proposed in the Budget for the Paschima Vahini project for construction of vetted dams and store water flowing in west-flowing rivers of coastal districts. He added that the project was formed following concerns that the Yettinahole project would diminish water supply to coastal areas. Furthermore, he urged the government to prioritise the merger of Konkan Railway with Indian Railways and allocate funds for the development of railway stations in the coastal region.
He also voiced concerns over restrictions imposed by wildlife sanctuaries in the region, such as Kudremukh, Mookambika, and Someshwara, which have hindered locals from building homes or earning livelihoods. “The government should take delegation to the Centre to relax norms in areas around these sanctuaries,” he was quoted as saying by the publication.
Meanwhile, Congress MLA Ashok Rai demanded increased quotas for locals in public sector units like MRPL, NMPT, and Mangaluru International Airport, the report added.
Harish Poonja pressed for the establishment of a high court bench in Mangaluru and the development of beach tourism to combat unemployment. Other key issues raised included the drug menace near educational institutions, plantation efforts on bagar-hukum lands, expanded rural transport through KSRTC, and the provision of funds for tackling diseases affecting arecanut plants.
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NEET student hangs self in Rajasthan's Sikar
Jaipur (PTI): A student preparing for the NEET examination allegedly committed suicide by hanging himself in a rented room in Rajasthan's Sikar on Friday, police said.
According to the police, the student allegedly hanged himself from a ceiling fan using his sister's scarf while one sister was attending coaching classes and the other was in the bathroom.
He had appeared in the NEET UG exam 2026, which was cancelled due to paper leak, they said.
Udyog Nagar SHO Rajesh Kumar said that the deceased, identified as Pradeep Meghwal, was a resident of Kanika ki Dhani village in Jhunjhunu's Gudha Gaudji area.
He had been living in a rented room in Sikar's Jaldhari Nagar area with his two sisters while preparing for NEET over the last three years.
His elder sister later found him hanging and informed the landlord and police after bringing him down, officials said.
The SHO said the body was kept at SK Hospital mortuary, and a postmortem had not been conducted.
The student's father, Rajesh Kumar Meghwal, told police that Pradeep's NEET examination had gone well and the family was expecting him to score around 650 marks.
Former Rajasthan deputy chief minister Sachin Pilot expressed grief over the incident and linked it to anxiety among students after reports of irregularities and paper leaks in NEET 2026.
Pilot said repeated paper leak incidents and cancellation of examinations were affecting students' mental health and demanded a time-bound investigation and strict action against those responsible.
