Kundapur: Former Prime Minister and JD(S) supremo HD Devegowda and his wife Channamma who are in Udupi District for Naturopathy treatment, on Friday afternoon visited Amrateshwari Temple in Kota and took part in special puja on the occasion.

The special invitation card of grand son’s wedding was also presented during the puja.

Devegowda and his wife will stay in Kaup for treatment till May 16 and during the course are expected to visit several temples and offer puja.

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Bengaluru: In a recent statement made by the Ministry of Finance on Wednesday, May 1, it was announced that the Goods and Services Tax (GST) revenue collection for April 2024 has reached an unprecedented high, soaring to Rs 2.10 lakh crore. The GST collections breach the landmark figure of ₹2 lakh crore for the first time. The data revealed a 12.4% year-on-year growth in gross revenue, with net revenue (after refunds) standing impressively at ₹1.92 lakh crore, showcasing a notable 17.1% year-on-year growth.

The news sparked a conversation on social media platforms, with Indian businessman TV Mohandas Pai expressing concern over the apparent slowdown in the growth rate of GST in Karnataka. In a tweet directed at Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and other key figures, Pai highlighted the worrisome trend and called for a review by the Government of Karnataka (GOK).

Responding to Pai's apprehension, the additional Chief Secretary to the Karnataka government, LK Atheeq, offered a clarifying perspective. Atheeq contested Pai's assertion, emphasizing that the figures cited by Pai pertain solely to the month of April 2024 compared to April 2023. He further provided data, presenting a comparative analysis of Karnataka's GST collection growth rate in the fiscal year 2023-24. According to Atheeq, Karnataka has witnessed an 18% growth rate in GST collection, outperforming the national average of 12%. He also juxtaposed Karnataka's growth with other states such as Maharashtra and Gujarat, both recording growth rates of 18% and 10% respectively.

Atheeq stated that when viewed in the context of the preceding fiscal year, the growth rates appear lower for all states due to the exceptionally high growth witnessed during the COVID-affected year of 2021-22.