Karnataka govt approves setting up of 438 'Namma Clinics'
Bengaluru, Jul 1: Karnataka Cabinet on Friday gave administrative approval of Rs 103.73 crore for the setting up of 438 Urban Health and Wellness Centres (U-HWCs) called "Namma Clinic" across the State and for the appointment of doctors, nurses and staff for their functioning.
They are being set up to control contagious diseases and ease the load on the existing hospitals.
"We have permitted the start of 438 U-HWCs called Namma Clinic in Karnataka that we had announced in the budget under the 15th Finance Commission grants. Accordingly, we have given sanction for appointment of 438 doctors, equal number of nurses and second division clerk," Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister J C Madhuswamy said.
Briefing reporters after the Cabinet meeting here, he said the clinics would be started in every urban local body area and all wards of Bengaluru city.
"Recurring expenditure for each centre we expect- under BBMP to be Rs 36.45 lakh and at other places ,it will be Rs 34.46 lakh...the appointments will be on a temporary basis...we have given administrative approval of Rs 103.73 crore for this," he added.
The Cabinet that met under the chairmanship of Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai decided to give hardship allowance of Rs 2,000 per month to pourakarmikas (civic workers) working under all the urban local bodies.
The Cabinet approved also installing of decline at the Hatti Gold mines at a cost of Rs 307 crore.
"As on one side we have ore, we were not able to mine the other side, and to reach the area decline has to be installed...their (Hatti Gold Mine) fund will be used for this," the Minister said.
For the bronze statue of Lord Basaveshwara to be installed by Murugha mutt in Chitradurga, the government had announced Rs 20 crore in the budget. For this, the Cabinet today gave nod for Rs 10 crore more.
Among other approvals, an excess Rs 65.5 crore was set aside for the Shivamogga airport to set up additional facilities for night landings. Earlier, Rs 384 crore was granted.
Also, approval was granted for construction of court buildings, and implemention of Jal Jeevan Mission at various places.
In response to a question, the Minister said the monsoon session of the State legislature is likely to be convened next month.
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SC asks states to treat rising child trafficking cases as grave; seeks coordinated action
New Delhi (PTI): The Supreme Court has voiced grave concern over rising cases of child trafficking, saying gangs are operating across the country and if States and Union territories do not take immediate action, thing will go beyond control.
The court said only the state government and its home department can act vigilantly in this regard.
“As a court we can monitor, but ultimately the action has to be on the part of the state government, the police, and other agencies. Therefore, this is our humble request”, a bench comprising Justices JB Pardiwala and K V Viswanathan said during the hearing of a plea on Wednesday.
The bench was irked over the "lackadaisical" approach of several states and UTs in implementing a 2025 judgment aimed at dismantling organised trafficking networks.
Justice Viswanathan said the retrieval of children in some cases proves the problem can be tackled, but it requires a level of political and administrative will which is lacking at present.
The verdict, delivered on April 15, 2025, had mandated several institutional reforms, including completion of trials in trafficking cases within six months on a day-to-day basis.
It had also directed strengthening of Anti-Human Trafficking Units (AHTUs) and improving investigation standards.
Besides asking for setting up of state-level committees to monitor vulnerable trafficking hotspots, it had asked the authorities to treat missing children cases as trafficking unless proven otherwise.
Earlier, the bench had termed the compliance reports filed by a few states as "nothing but an eye wash."
On Wednesday, the bench noted that Madhya Pradesh, Goa, Haryana, Lakshadweep, Mizoram, Odisha, and Punjab had still failed to file reports in the prescribed format.
When the home secretary of Madhya Pradesh offered an apology for the lapse, the bench granted a "final opportunity" but warned that continued failure would lead to states being officially branded as "defaulting".
The bench noted that at least 15 states are yet to constitute review committees mandated to identify and monitor trafficking-prone areas.
The matter will now be heard on April 29.
