Khanapur(PTI): Congress General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Sunday said if her party is voted to power in the Karnataka Assembly election, the honorarium of workers at major Anganwadis will be increased to Rs 15,000 per month, and for those in mini Anganwadis, it will be hiked to Rs 10,000.

The party will also increase the honorarium of the Accredited Social Health Activists (ASHA) workers to Rs 8,000 per month, and Rs 5,000 per month for women working for the mid-day meal programme, she said.

In a public meeting here in Belagavi district bordering Maharashtra, the Congress leader said, "Our party has decided to increase the honorarium up to Rs 15,000 for my sisters in major Anganwadis and Rs 10,000 for women in mini Anganwadis. The honorarium of the ASHA workers will be hiked to Rs 8,000 and those working for the mid-day meals will get Rs 5,000."

ALSO READ: Congress associated with '85 per cent commission': PM Modi says at public meeting in Karnataka

Vadra also promised to give Rs three lakh to the workers of main Anganwadis on their retirement or to their nominee in the event of death due to accident and Rs two lakh to those working in mini Anganwadis.

She slammed the BJP government for its "lies and deception", saying it "ruled the state in such a bad way that it got the tag of 40 per cent commission government".

Karnataka votes on May 10, with results slated to be declared on May 13.

All the latest news from Mangaluru/Udupi, just one click away. CLICK here to read all the important news from Mangaluru/ Dakshina Kannada in a single click.

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.



Barcelona (AP): Real Madrid slapped players Federico Valverde and Aurélien Tchouaméni with half-a-million-euro ($588,000) fines on Friday for their altercation during practice.

The massive fines came a day after the midfielders tussled when the team trained. Valverde said in a post on social media on Thursday that no punches were thrown. But Valverde knocked his head on a table and he suffered a small cut that required a brief hospital visit.

On social media, Valverde initially called it a “meaningless fight” with a teammate and said “everything has been blown out of proportion."

His employers, however, considered it a significant enough breach of team discipline to nail both Valverde and Tchouaméni with fines that bite even the bank account of a top soccer player. The half-a-million euro penalties reflect the reputational damage the club was enduring in a chaotic end to a disappointing season.

In a statement, the 15-time European champion said its disciplinary action was concluded after both players expressed to the club “their complete remorse for what happened and apologized to one another.”

Madrid added they also apologized to their teammates, the coaching staff and club supporters, as well as showing their willingness to accept whatever disciplinary action the club deemed “opportune.”

Tchouaméni was back training with Madrid on Friday, two days before they play at Barcelona in a clasico. Madrid has to win otherwise Barcelona will be crowned La Liga champion.

After being notified of the fine, he posted a public apology to the club and its fans on social media.

“What happened this week in training is unacceptable,” Tchouaméni wrote. "I say this while thinking about the example we are expected to set for young people, whether in football or at school.

“Above all, I am sorry for the image we projected of the club.”

Valverde was not at practice due to the head knock.

Both players are set to play in the World Cup next month, with Tchouaméni playing for France and Valverde for Uruguay. 

Chaotic end to a poor season

===================

The run-in between the players, who for seasons have played side by side in Madrid's midfield, came after they argued this week in previous training sessions. But tempers boiled over on Thursday. Spanish media was rife with reports that the players previously disagreed over the club's decision to let coach Xabi Alonso go after just months on the job.

It was not the only altercation involving Madrid players during training this week. Álvaro Carreras confirmed he was in a “minor” incident with a teammate. Spanish media said he and fellow defender Antonio Rüdiger got into a scuffle.

Álvaro Arbeloa, the coach who was promoted from Madrid's reserve team when Alonso was fired in January, will face tough questions on what went wrong inside the changing room when he gives a press conference on Saturday ahead of the clasico at Camp Nou.

Madrid is facing a second consecutive campaign without a major trophy amid rumors in the Spanish media that club president Florentino Pérez is considering bringing back Jose Mourinho to straighten out his underperforming team.