CM Siddaramaiah hints at free bus passes for journalists in rural areas
Davanagere: Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Saturday said that the demand for free bus passes for journalists in rural areas will be seriously considered in the upcoming budget and an appropriate decision will be taken.
Speaking at the 38th state journalists conference orgsnised by the Karnataka Working Journalists' Union, Siddaramaiah said his government is always with the journalists to assist them.
''There's a demand for free passes for reporters working in rural areas to travel on government buses. We will consider this demand in the upcoming budget and take appropriate action that favours it,'' he said.
He said that the government has increased the family pension for journalists from Rs 6,000 to Rs 12,000. Also, newspaper hawkers were honoured with the Rajyotsava Award, he added. The chief minister appealed to the journalists not to lose objectivity, truth and commitment while reporting, and try to become the voice of the voiceless.
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He also asked the scribes not to give credence to superstitions.
Siddaramaiah recalled that when a crow sat on his car sometime in 2016, the news anchors debated in their studios how this bad omen of an inauspicious bird sitting on his car would impact his political career.
''Some said I would not complete my term (due to crow) while some other channels predicted that I would go soon after tabling the budget. However, I completed an uninterrupted five-year term. I was the only chief minister after Devaraj Urs who completed the full term,'' the chief minister noted.
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Delhi records high of 32.7 deg C; AQI remains 'moderate'
New Delhi (PTI): The maximum temperature in Delhi settled at 32.7 degrees Celsius on Sunday, 1.3 notches below the seasonal average, according to the India Meteorological Department.
The minimum temperature was recorded at 20.1 degrees Celsius on Sunday, 1.3 notches below the average for the season, while the relative humidity stood at 46 per cent at 5.30 pm, the IMD said.
The weather department has forecast a partly cloudy sky for Monday with the maximum and minimum temperatures expected to hover around 34 and 19 degrees Celsius, respectively.
The air quality remained 'moderate' at 4 pm, with an Air Quality Index (AQI) reading of 134, a slight drop from Saturday’s 137, Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) data showed.
According to the CPCB, an AQI between zero and 50 is considered 'good', 51 and 100 'satisfactory', 101 and 200 'moderate', 201 and 300 'poor', 301 and 400 'very poor', and 401 and 500 'severe'.
