CM Siddaramaiah launches registration of fifth poll guarantee 'Yuva Nidhi'
Bengaluru (PTI): Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Tuesday launched the registration of the fifth and last poll guarantee 'Yuva Nidhi' here offering unemployment assistance to graduates and diploma holders.
The disbursement of the scheme will start from January 12, 2024, which is the birth anniversary of Swami Vivekananda.
The scheme offers monetary assistance of Rs 3,000 to the graduates and Rs 1,500 to the diploma holders who passed in the 2022-23 academic year.
The money would be given to those who do not get a job even after completion of 180 days from the date of passing of the degree/diploma, officials said, adding that the candidates are required to prove domicile of Karnataka for a minimum of six years.
The unemployment allowance would be given for a period of two years from the date of announcement of the result or till he/she becomes employed/self-employed whichever is earlier.
The amount will be directly transferred to the bank account of the beneficiaries.
Candidates who are self-employed and continuing higher education are excluded from the scheme.
According to Skill Development and Entrepreneurship Minister Sharanaprakash Patil, this year Rs 250 crore has been allocated to the scheme. Next year an expenditure of Rs 1,250 crore is anticipated and the year after that the state may incur a spending of approximately Rs 2,500 crore.
Those who wish to avail the benefit can apply by logging on to 'Seva Sindhu portal', or through 'Karnataka One', 'Bengaluru One', 'Grama One' and 'Bapuji Seva Kendra'.
The enrollment will be free of cost, he added.
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No unannounced load shedding in Kerala, outages due to overload, says Minister
Palakkad (PTI): Kerala Electricity Minister K Krishnankutty on Saturday said there was no unannounced load shedding in the state, attributing recent power interruptions to temporary overload caused by high consumption.
Clarifying concerns raised from various parts of the state, the minister said the disruptions are not deliberate but occur when demand peaks, particularly between 10 pm and 11 pm.
"It is not being done intentionally. Power consumption has risen sharply, and when there is excessive and indiscriminate usage, the system experiences overload, leading to natural supply interruptions," he told reporters here.
His remarks come amid complaints that several areas have been witnessing frequent power cuts, often lasting around 15 minutes and occurring multiple times during the night.
Krishnankutty said the state's power demand has crossed 6,195 MW, putting pressure on the supply system. He added that around 70 per cent of Kerala's electricity is procured from outside, and existing power banking arrangements have been exhausted.
"We have approached the Regulatory Commission seeking permission to purchase more power. However, this will come at a higher cost," he said.
The minister said the government is trying to avoid increasing electricity tariffs and urged consumers to exercise restraint in usage to help manage the situation.
Responding to opposition criticism over the ruling LDF's earlier claims of a decade without power cuts, he said the current situation is not unique to Kerala.
A power crisis is emerging across the country, he said, and sarcastically asked the Opposition to take note of the role of natural factors in this.
Krishnankutty expressed confidence that the situation would improve within two days, while cautioning that long-term energy security would depend on enhancing in-state power generation.
He also warned that future generations could face serious challenges if adequate electricity production capacity is not developed within Kerala.
