I will become Karnataka CM if party high command asks me to: Priyank Kharge
Mysuru: Minister for Panchayat Raj and Rural Development Priyank Kharge has said that he was ready to be the Chief Minister of Karnataka if the Congress High Command ask him to take charge of the state administration.
His statement, however, has piqued the interest of people, given that it was made in the backdrop of Chief Minister Siddaramaiah's words before the media that he would continue as Karnataka CM for five years.
Addressing reporters in Mysuru on Friday, Kharge responded to a question in the matter, saying his statements were only his personal opinions. "If the Party High Command tells me to be the CM, however, I will take charge too," he added.
Asked further about the CM's statement on heading the administration for five years, Kharge said, "That too is Siddaramaiah's personal opinion. Four members of the party, who have already discussed the matter in a meeting held in New Delhi, are the only people who have a clear picture of the steps that will be taken in this regard. The statements made by anyone else have no importance."
He added that, while the final decision on who will be the CM will be taken by the Congress High Command, everyone in the party was free to express his or her opinion and Siddaramaiah need not be held at fault for his statement.
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Karnataka makes teenage pregnancies audit mandatory
Bengaluru (PTI): The Karnataka government on Tuesday issued an order mandating an audit of all adolescent pregnancy cases across the state, aiming to systematically track, review and address the underlying causes of pregnancies among girls aged 10 to 18 years.
The order makes adolescent pregnancy audit mandatory by the Taluk Health Officer (THO) for all pregnancies occurring among girls aged 10 to 18 years across the state.
The move is intended to strengthen early identification, counselling and preventive interventions by integrating efforts across health, education and social welfare departments, while leveraging existing programmes such as the National Health Mission (NHM) and Rashtriya Kishor Swasthya Karyakram (RKSK).
“Adolescent pregnancy remains a significant public health and social concern with implications for maternal health, neonatal outcomes, and socio-economic development,” the order said.
It noted that pregnancies among girls aged 10 to 18 years are associated with increased risks of maternal complications, adverse birth outcomes, school dropout and social vulnerability.
According to the order, all adolescent pregnancies identified in the state must be compulsorily reported by both government and private healthcare institutions on the Reproductive and Child Health (RCH) platform.
The audit framework will examine multiple socio-medical factors, including age at marriage, educational status, awareness of reproductive health, access to contraception, and family vulnerabilities.
It will also assess linkages with schemes such as RKSK, Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) and school health programmes to identify service delivery gaps.
At the Taluk level, a dedicated audit committee will be constituted under the chairmanship of the Taluk Health Officer. Its members will be drawn from primary health centres, field health staff, Anganwadi services and schools.
The government further directed that counselling services, including those through Sneha Centres, access to contraceptives, and targeted outreach to vulnerable adolescent groups—such as school dropouts, migrants and socially disadvantaged households—must be strengthened.
“The audit shall examine age at marriage, educational status, awareness on reproductive health, access to contraception and counselling services, socio-economic and family vulnerabilities,” the order said.
The order mandates strict confidentiality in handling all cases, in compliance with child protection laws, while also ensuring adherence to legal reporting requirements.
