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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Delhi Polls: BJP faces protest, placates MLA amid resentment over ticket distribution
New Delhi, Jan 12: Resentment surfaced in the BJP on Sunday over ticket distribution for Delhi Assembly polls, with a protest held outside its Delhi unit office and an angry outburst by the outgoing MLA from Karawal Nagar who was not included in the candidate list released a day earlier.
As MLA Mohan Singh Bisht threatened to revolt after being denied a ticket from Karawal Nagar, the party rushed to control the damage and announced his candidature from the Mustafabad seat this evening.
A group of protesters from Tughlakabad in South Delhi held a dharna at the gate of the Delhi BJP office, demanding a change in the candidate from the constituency.
"Vikram Bidhuri Tum Sangharsh Karo; Modi Se Bair Nahi, Rohtas Teri Khair Nahi," the protesters, including mostly youngsters, chanted as the party leaders tried to pacify them.
In the second list of BJP candidates for the polls declared on Saturday, Rohtas Bidhuri was fielded from the Tughlakabad seat. In 2020 Assembly polls, Vikram Bidhuri who is a relative of senior party leader Ramesh Bidhuri, lost to AAP's Sahiram by over 13,000 votes.
A similar protest was also held by some party workers outside the Delhi BJP office against Mehrauli candidate Gajainder Yadav after the announcement of the first list of candidates earlier this month.
Bisht, the senior-most BJP MLA in the outgoing Assembly elected five times from Karawal Nagar, openly expressed unhappiness over being denied the ticket to contest from his stronghold.
A senior party leader said he was pacified after a meeting with BJP chief JP Nadda.
Bisht, after getting the ticket from Mustafabad, expressed confidence that he would win the seat for the BJP.
"I met the national president and things were ironed out. I have assured that I will contest from Mustafabad and win the seat for the party," Bisht told PTI.
The MLA said he and the BJP had considerable support in Mustafabad and he has already attended two public meetings there.
The BJP won the Mustafabad seat, having a significant minority community presence, in the 2015 Assembly polls but lost it to Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) in 2020.
Earlier in the day, Bisht told PTI that the party's decision to replace him with Kapil Mishra was "wrong" and its consequences will be visible after voting on February 5.
"You have challenged the 'samaj' (his Uttarakhandi community), not Mohan Singh Bisht. The BJP will lose at least 8-10 seats because of this decision, including Karawal Nagar, Burari, Mustafabad and Gokalpuri," Bisht warned.
The BJP fielded Kapil Mishra, a Hindutva hardliner, from Karwal Nagar in North East Delhi, which was rocked by massive communal violence just after the 2020 Assembly polls.
Sources in the party claimed that there was also "deep resentment" among the Delhi BJP's Scheduled Castes Morcha leaders over being denied tickets from different constituencies including Madipur and Kondli.
A top Delhi BJP functionary stressed that there are many ticket aspirants, so it is natural for those who did not get selected to feel disappointed.
"The BJP is a disciplined party and its leaders understand this. Sooner or later, everyone will realise this and work for the victory of the party giving up their resentment," he said.
The elections to 70 Assembly seats in Delhi are scheduled on February 5. Results will be out after the counting of votes on February 8.
The BJP, out of power in Delhi since 1998, is making all-out efforts to return to power. In the 2015 and 2020 Assembly polls, the party was completely routed by the AAP, scraping through with just three and eight seats, respectively.
