Minister Patil discusses railway projects for Karnataka with Ashwini Vaishnaw
Bengaluru (PTI): Karnataka Infrastructure Development Minister M B Patil on Saturday submitted representations to Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, seeking approval for a Vande Bharat Sleeper Express train from Bengaluru to Vijayapura, a high-speed rail corridor between Bengaluru and Mumbai, and a daily special train service on the Bengaluru-Vijayapura route.
After launching Zetwerk Electronics' Manufacturing Excellence facility in the Hi-Tech Hardware Park at Bagalur here, the Minister met Vaishnaw and handed over the representations, Patil's office said in a release.
The Railway Minister assured him that the proposals would be examined positively, it said.
Describing Bengaluru as the country's technology capital and Mumbai as its financial capital, Patil said it was essential to connect the two cities through an efficient and modern transport system.
He urged that the high-speed rail corridor announced between Mumbai and Pune be extended up to Bengaluru. "Vaishnaw responded positively to this request as well," he said.
The Minister pointed out that the distance between Bengaluru and Vijayapura is around 530 km and that the current train journey takes nearly 15 to 16 hours.
He said this travel time should be reduced to about 10 hours, he said, adding that to achieve this, he suggested limiting halts between Bengaluru and Hubballi and operating trains via the Hubballi and Gadag bypasses.
He also sought the introduction of a Vande Bharat Express service on this route.
Patil further requested the introduction of a daily special train service between Bengaluru and Vijayapura.
In his representation, he stated that all three proposed services would bring significant social, industrial and economic benefits to several districts of central and north Karnataka.
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Oracle lays off around 12,000 employees in India, another round likely within a month
New Delhi (PTI): US-based IT firm Oracle is believed to have laid off approximately 12,000 staff in India, with another round of layoffs expected within a month, impacted employees said on Tuesday.
Globally, the company has fired around 30,000 employees.
"In India, around 12,000 employees have been laid off. The company is planning another mass layoff within a month," said two people impacted by the retrenchment, including one from the company's human resource department.
The company has approximately 30,000 employees in India, including those affected by the layoffs.
Oracle declined to comment on the development.
Oracle, in an email sent to staff, said the employees were informed about certain organisational changes and "because of these changes, a decision has been taken to streamline the operations, and as a result, unfortunately, the position you currently hold will become redundant".
The company has offered 15 days' salary to each employee who has completed a year of service in India, in addition to one month of unpaid wages till termination date, leave encashment, gratuity based on eligibility and pay for a one-month notice period.
Oracle has also offered a two-month salary as a top-up.
However, the severance package is available for those who voluntarily and amicably resign from the company.
An ex-employee of Oracle, Merugu Sridhar, said that he was laid off in September for protesting against the 16-hour work shift that the company has in India.
"I contacted my friends and those who are in human resources. They shared that most of the Indians working in the US with the company have been impacted because the local laws there are very strict when it comes to the retrenchment of their citizens," Sridhar said.
