President Kovind says no to honorary doctorate from Nauni varsity
Solan, May 21: President Ram Nath Kovind on Monday refused to accept an honorary doctorate that was to be conferred on him by the horticulture and forestry university at its annual convocation in Nauni near here.
The Dr Y.S. Parmar University of Horticulture and Forestry planned to confer a Doctorate of Science (D.Sc) degree on President Kovind, who gave away degrees and gold medals to meritorious students at the ninth convocation of the varsity.
"The President refused to receive the honorary degree," a university official told IANS.
"I respect your sentiments but I can't accept it," the official quoting the President as saying.
Himachal Governor and University Chancellor Acharya Devvrat and Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur were present on the occasion.
The President awarded eight gold medals at the event. Speaking in Hindi on the occasion, he said that the goal of education should not be limited to only getting a job.
Students can start their own enterprises by using their skills and learning, he added.
The President also urged the students to take advantage of various schemes and initiatives of the union and state governments to set up their businesses in the agricultural sector.
"There is immense potential in the field of fruit and vegetable processing. With their knowledge and enterprise, graduates from the university could help consumers in the country and abroad get better food products and help farmers get better value for their produce."
He said that increasing the income of farmers and development of rural India is the country's top priority.
Kovind said that research in horticulture and forestry held a special significance for farmers in mountainous states such as Himachal Pradesh.
Over the past three decades, the university has contributed significantly to the advancement of horticulture and forestry in the state.
The President congratulated the students for choosing to pursue education in the agricultural sector.
He said that he considered each student and teacher of this university to be a technically equipped friend and partner of the farmers of Himachal Pradesh, as well as those in other parts of the country.
Kovind is currently in the hill state on a five-day holiday.
The Governor, in his address, said that in order to promote zero-budget natural farming in the state, the university is implementing its farming model on its campus.
He said zero-budget natural farming would not only help in environmental conservation but also produce healthy food.
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Karnataka Assembly passes bill on Palace Grounds amid opposition protest
Bengaluru, Mar 6 (PTI): The Karnataka Assembly on Thursday passed the Bangalore Palace (Utilisation and Regulation of Land) Bill, reaffirming state ownership over 472 acres and 16 guntas of land here, amid protests by the opposition BJP.
During the discussion, Karnataka Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister H K Patil said the state government would have to provide Rs 200 crore worth of Transfer of Development Rights (TDR) for each acre of land, which means that for 15 acres, Rs 3,000 crore worth of TDR would be issued.
“If we accept it, then this 2-km stretch of road will become the costliest road in the world. If we accept it then how are we going to develop the city in later stages? How will you carry out development works?” asked Patil.
He also pointed out that this question was raised not only under the Congress government but also during the previous BJP regime.
However, the BJP-led cabinet has opposed the project.
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“Suppose we agree to it then, what will be the valuation of the 472 acres? It will be lakhs and lakhs of crores of rupees. Can we accept?” Patil wondered.
The Minister said the government had previously exercised its executive powers to issue an ordinance, which was approved by the Governor. Now the government is bringing a bill with two amendments.
“In this bill, we have made provisions either to develop or drop the road development work,” Patil explained.
However, BJP state president B Y Vijayendra and BJP MLA Arvind Bellad opposed the move, alleging that the government was targetting Yaduveer Krishna Datta Chamaraja Wadiyar, the scion of the Mysuru royal family, and the BJP MP from Mysuru-Kodagu constituency out of political vendetta.
“We talk of 472 acres of Mysuru Maharaja but here there are many Maharajas who too own 400 acres, 500 acres and thousands of acres of land, which is known to everyone,” Bellad said.
He slammed the Congress government, saying political power should not be misused for personal vendetta.
“Why (the then Deputy Chief Minister) Siddaramaiah brought the law in 1996 pertaining to the Bangalore Palace? Why are you setting eyes on the Bangalore Palace?” he asked.
Vijayendra charged that Wadiyar won the election on BJP ticket so the state government realised that it should acquire it.
“This bill has been brought for political vengeance. We are not discussing whether Rs 3,000 crore is exorbitant or not but the moment Yaduveer became MP, the state government woke up. You should be ashamed. This house should not be used for political vendetta,” he said.
Intervening, Minister Priyank Kharge said Vijayendra should not have raised it because the intention behind building the road was noble.
According to him, the BJP too had the same plan when it was in power.
He sought to know whether thousands of crores of rupees be spent on a road which should have cost significantly less.
In response, BJP MLA B A Basavaraj (Byrathi) said issuing TDR will not be a burden on the state government and appealed to the ruling Congress to reconsider its stance.
Minister Ramalinga Reddy too explained that the Karnataka government acquired the entire land way back in 1996.
The Mysuru royal family went to the High Court, which gave ruling in favour of the state government. The royal family then approached the Supreme Court, where the case is still going on, the Minister pointed out.
“The final judgment is pending in the SC to decide whether the acquisition was right or wrong. If the SC says it’s the royal family’s property then let it be so. If the order is in the state government’s favour then we can take a decision. The bill is only about it,” Reddy explained.
Speaker U T Khader then called for a voice vote and the bill was passed by the Assembly amidst opposition BJP’s discontent.
