No community spread of COVID-19 in Karnataka: State govt tells Centre
Bengaluru: The Karnataka government on Tuesday told a central team that the community spread of COVID-19 was not happening in the state.
Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa today held discussions with the team consisting of Arti Ahuja Additional Secretary- Health and Family Welfare and P Raveendran, Director- Emergency Medical Relief (EMR), regarding COVID-19 situation in the state.
Senior Ministers and officials of the state government were present at the meeting.
"There is no community spread so far, I am making it very clear. We are still in between the second and the third stage, we haven't reached the third stage yet," state Health Minister B Sriramulu said.
Speaking to reporters after the meeting, he said, we have informed this to the central team and they too have accepted it and have advised us to see to it that we don't reach the third stage.
As of July 6 evening, cumulatively 25,317 COVID-19 positive cases have been confirmed in the state, which includes 401 deaths and 10,527 discharges.
Noting that the central team during the meeting with the Chief Minister, Ministers, and officials discussed COVID-19 management in the state, Sriramulu said, they have suggested for more testing to be done at the containment zones.
He said the team also appreciated the measures taken by the state government and suggested to do more.
The team will be visiting various containment zones, COVID care centres, and meet Chief Minister once again.
Observing that 600 contract doctors are demanding that they are made permanent, Sriramulu said the CM has agreed to it, they will be "absorbed", the Chief Secretary will be holding discussions with doctors association in this regard.
The Minister also appealed to ASHA workers not to go on strike and will look into their demands.
ASHA workers, who are in the frontline of the fight against Covid-19, have threatened to boycott work as their demands have not been met by the government.
They have been urging the government to ensure them a monthly wage of Rs 12,000, including the honorarium and incentives.
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India progressing under PM Modi, Karnataka heading towards decline: Union Minister Kumaraswamy
Bengaluru (PTI): Union Minister H D Kumaraswamy has said while India is moving steadily towards becoming the world’s third-largest economic power under Prime Minister Narendra Modi's leadership, Karnataka is heading in the opposite direction under the Congress government.
Speaking at a programme to mark the 101st birth anniversary of former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, along with the Atal Award presentation and Good Governance Day celebrations, the JD(S) leader said Karnataka was once a model state for governance and development.
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“Karnataka was once synonymous with exemplary governance. It had adopted an outstanding development model and emerged as a leader for the entire nation. But under the Congress government’s administration, all these distinctions have been lost, and the State is now moving in the opposite direction,” Kumaraswamy said.
He alleged that the current dispensation has completely damaged the education sector, noting that Karnataka was once a frontrunner in education.
“Karnataka, which once ranked first in good governance, has reached such a state today. Frivolous politics is being played in a good State. Administration across all departments; including health, education, agriculture and revenue has deteriorated. People must now seriously introspect,” he said.
Asserting that the era of good governance must return, Kumaraswamy said people are fed up with the misgovernance of this government.
Bengaluru, once the IT-BT capital and a hub of education and technology, has seen its infrastructure completely deteriorate, he said.
"The state government lacks the mindset to accept even well-intentioned and expert advice. It has developed a culture of speaking irresponsibly even about Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah.”
Noting that the state has all the potential and capacity to move forward, the union minister said, “At a time when India is stepping forward to become the world’s third-largest economic power under Modi government, one wonders in which direction Karnataka is heading? It is moving backwards and sliding into decline.”
Remembering Vajpayee as “Ajatashatru”, a leader without enemies who rendered long and distinguished service to the nation, Kumaraswamy said leaders like Vajpayee are rare today.
“His contributions as External Affairs Minister, Leader of the Opposition and Prime Minister were immense. He was a visionary leader who took the BJP from just two seats to 170 seats in Parliament,” he added.
Expressing concern over growing unrest, he said, “Karnataka must once again become a garden of peace for all communities. There is unrest in society. When one looks at what is happening within families, it causes anxiety. While technology is advancing and economic strength is increasing, there is fear even in turning on the television in the morning. There is no peace of mind for anyone. It is for this reason that I have advocated teaching the Bhagavad Gita at the school level. Unfortunately, politics is being unnecessarily mixed into this issue."
