Free bus travel for women to continue in Karnataka: Minister Ramalinga Reddy
Bengaluru, Aug 16: Karnataka Transport Minister R Ramalinga Reddy on Wednesday asserted that Shakti scheme offering free ride in non-luxury government buses to women in the state will continue for the next 10 years.
His clarification comes following some rumours being spread in the social media against the scheme.
''I would like to tell the people of Karnataka, especially the school children, that some people are spreading lies that one of the poll guarantees 'Shakti' scheme will be stopped. Trusting the rumours, some people went to ask for a bus pass,'' Reddy told reporters here.
He said, ''Shakti scheme is going to remain for at least 10 years. There is no need for women to buy passes. Some people, especially those from a specific party, are trying to play mischief by spreading lies in the social media.'' As Chief Minister Siddaramaiah held a meeting with the ministers and MLAs from Bengaluru, reporters asked Reddy whether there was any discussion on the stalled municipal level public works in the city.
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The minister said Special Investigation Teams are probing the works taken in the past (during the BJP tenure) and hence there was not much discussion on the subject.
''The SITs have been mandated to complete their investigation within a month. Out of 30 days, 10 days have already lapsed. So, there was not much discussions on public works. Bills of only those contractors who have done good work will be cleared,'' the minister said.
To a question, he said there was no talks on the Lok Sabha elections. In fact, discussions took place regarding the Bengaluru Municipal Corporation election, which is likely to be held in December, the minister said.
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US VP JD Vance says Lebanon not part of ceasefire, calls it ‘misunderstanding’
Budapest/Washington: US Vice President J D Vance has said that Lebanon was never included in the ceasefire understanding with Iran, describing the confusion as a “legitimate misunderstanding”.
Speaking to reporters before departing from Hungary, Vance said, “I think the Iranians thought that the ceasefire included Lebanon and it just didn’t. We never made that promise.”
He stressed that the United States had not included Lebanon in the scope of the ceasefire at any stage.
His remarks come amid continued Israeli strikes in Lebanon, where more than 200 people were reported killed, even as ceasefire talks between Iran and the US move forward.
Vance said Israel had “offered … to check themselves a little bit in Lebanon because they want to make sure that our negotiation is successful”.
He warned that if Iran allows the situation in Lebanon to affect the negotiations, it could derail the talks.
“If Iran wants to let this negotiation fall apart in a conflict where they were getting hammered over Lebanon, which has nothing to do with them and which the United States never once said was part of the ceasefire, that’s ultimately their choice,” he said.
