Khader who saved Congress' honour in Karavali gets ministership
Mangaluru: MLA UT Khader has been appointed as a minister in the Congress-JDS coalition government. Among the ministers who sworn-in today, UT Khader is one who took the oath for the second consecutive term for the state cabinet.
U.T. Khader, who was interested in politics since studenthood, was trained by his father UT Fareed. Soon after completing BA (LLB), he started building rapo with the people of Mangaluru (Ullal) constituency and tried to address their problems.
In his 30-year political carreer, he held various responsibilities in the party and state government. Khader served as an elected member of Mangalore University Senate, district secretary of NSUI DK, President, State Vice President and Ullal Block Congress President, KPCC Secretary, Party North Karnataka in-charge, and trainer of the All India Seva dal, and as the chief organiser of the State Seva Dal.
Khader, after the death of his father UT Fareed, won the 2007 assembly elections from Ullal (Mangalore) constituency in the first attempt and continued winning even in 2008 and 2013 elections with a considerable margin. He served as health minister for three years and as Food and Civil Supplies Minister for two years in the Siddaramaiah-led Congress government. He was awarded the 'Sadanvira' award for asking the most questions in the House. UT Khader, the only minister from the minority community to serve for a five-year term in Siddaramaiah's government, has won two national-level achievement awards in both the ministerships he served.
He has an honour of being alone Congress MLA in 13 constituencies of undivided DK district in the recently held assembly polls. Khader, who has accepted the ministership in the JDS-Congress coalition government, is likely to get the district-incharge minister post for Udupi or Kodagu district. Earlier, Khader has also worked as a minister in the Kolar and Chamarajanagar districts.
UTK, who is a passionate bike rider, actively participated in Scouts and Guides in student life. He has a happy family consisting of wife Lamees Khader and the only daughter Hawa Naseem. Daughter Hawa Naseem, who is a Hafiza, is currently studying Class 9 at an Educational Institute in Kerala.
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.
BWSSB to extract biogas from sewage sludge
Bengaluru (PTI): The Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB) is set to roll out a major biogas initiative to extract compressed biogas from sewage sludge, aiming to generate over Rs 120 crore in additional revenue over the next two decades.
The project approved by the state cabinet is expected to be the largest of its kind in the country, utilising about 550 MLD of sewage across five major sewage treatment plants, according to an official release.
"This brilliantly structured PPP model allows us to generate over Rs 120 crore in fresh revenue without investing a single rupee in capital or operations," BWSSB Chairman Ram Prasath Manohar said in the statement.
Under the project, raw biogas currently used for in-house power generation or flared will be upgraded to CBG meeting national standards for injection into the city gas distribution network or use as a clean transport fuel, the release said.
The initiative will be executed on a public-private partnership model, with the private concessionaire bearing the entire Rs 85 crore capital expenditure and operational costs, while BWSSB will provide land within treatment plant premises.
Describing it as a step towards energy security and the circular economy, officials said the project could serve as a national model for similar urban initiatives.
