'Anna Bhagya' and 'Gruha Jyothi' guarantees of Karnataka govt come into effect from Saturday
Bengaluru (PTI): Two more "guarantee" schemes of the Congress government in Karnataka -- cash for beneficiaries in lieu of the additional 5 kg of rice under 'Anna Bhagya' scheme, and 200 units of free electricity to households under 'Gruha Jyothi' scheme, has come into force effective from Saturday.
The government has already implemented one of its five poll guarantees, "Shakti", by providing free services for women in public transport buses.
Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah said payment of money to beneficiaries under Anna Bhagya scheme for this month is likely to begin after July 10; while the Gruha Jyothi scheme has come into effect from today and the electricity bill for the same for this month will come in beginning of August, as per the billing cycle.
"We have said July month's amount (under Anna Bhagya scheme) will be paid to beneficiaries in July itself, instead of rice. We had not said, we will pay it on July 1st itself...most likely we will start making the payments after July 10. This month's amount will be deposited into bank account of the beneficiaries within this month," Siddaramaiah said.
Speaking to reporters here, he said, "The Gruha Jyothi scheme will begin from today, so from this month it will be free (upto 200 units), but the bill will come in August."
Facing difficulty in procuring large quantities of rice required to fulfil its poll guarantee, the state government decided to pay cash to beneficiaries at the rate of Rs 34 per kilo, for the additional 5kg of rice under the free rice scheme, which is applicable to every member of a BPL household.
Food and Civil Supplies Minister K H Muniyappa said, amount will be transferred to the bank account of the beneficiaries in a week or 10 days.
"90 percent of beneficiaries have a bank account....5kgs per person means, the benificary will get Rs 170," he told reporters in Devanahalli.
Meanwhile, speaking to reporters in Chikkamagaluru regarding 'Gruha Jyothi' , Energy Minister K J George said, registration for the scheme is going on, and about 86.5 lakh consumers have registered.
"Free current (up to 200 units) is applicable from today itself and the bill to this effect will come in the beginning of August," he said.
The Minister said consumers who want to avail the benefit of Gruha Bhagya scheme will have to register online. To avail the benefit this month, one can apply till July 24 or 25, as bill for same will be generated in August.
One has to apply for the Gruha Jyothi Scheme on 'Seva Sindu' website or can apply through assisted mode also made available at Grama One, Karnataka One, Bangalore One centers.
The benefit is calculated based on average consumption for Financial Year 2022-23, plus 10 percent increase, but total amounting to less than 200 units.
The remaining two guarantees which the government is taking steps to implement soon are -- Rs 2,000 monthly assistance to the woman head of every family (Gruha Lakshmi); and Rs 3,000 every month for unemployed graduate youth and Rs 1,500 for unemployed diploma holders (Yuva Nidhi).
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.
Porsche car crash case exposed systemic corruption: Pune police commissioner
Pune (PTI): The Porsche car crash case exposed "systemic corruption," but the Pune Police have successfully uncovered the nexus behind the replacement of the accused juvenile's blood samples with those of his mother, Police Commissioner Amitesh Kumar said on Wednesday.
The case made national headlines after the high-end car allegedly driven by the 17-year-old boy in an inebriated state mowed down motorcycle-borne IT professionals Anish Awadhiya and Ashwini Costa in the Kalyani Nagar area on May 19 last year.
"Last year’s Porsche car crash case sparked widespread discussions about Pune’s deteriorating social culture, alleged police corruption, and several other issues. Amid all the criticism, one positive aspect stood out: the case exposed systemic corruption.
"It also demonstrated how the police, working within the same system, managed to uncover the entire nexus behind the replacement of the juvenile’s blood samples with those of his mother," Kumar said while addressing Nasha Mukt Bharat Abhiyan, an initiative aimed at raising awareness against drug addiction, organised at Modern College.
He added that the juvenile has been released since he was a minor.
"However, his mother has remained in jail for over a year, and his father continues to be behind bars. Doctors from Sassoon Hospital and others involved are also still in jail," Kumar said, adding that one mistake by a child, and an attempt by his parents to cover it up, destroyed an entire family.
He said the police will follow up on this case until every guilty person is punished.
Kumar also appealed to students to stay away from intoxicating substances and drugs.
"You are not only endangering your own life but also putting your entire family at risk," he said, urging the youth not to fall prey to harmful addictions.
"Instead, stand strong and act as a force to ensure that drug abuse is curbed in your surroundings. We assure you of full police support," he added.
He further stated that if youth from all colleges unite and decide to end this menace, "the day is not far when not even one gram of drug will be sold in the city".
The investigation into the car crash had revealed that the juvenile's blood samples were replaced with those of his mother.
The roles of Dr Ajay Taware, head of the forensic department, Medical Officer Shreehari Halnor, and a hospital staffer came under scrutiny.
While the mother is currently out on bail, the juvenile’s father, Sassoon Hospital doctors Taware and Halnor, staffer Atul Ghatkamble, two middlemen, Ashpak Makandar and Amar Gaikwad, and others remain in jail for the alleged blood sample swap.
