Karnataka govt hands over kumki elephants to Andhra Pradesh
Bengaluru (PTI): Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Wednesday stressed the need for cooperation and coordination between states in mitigating human-elephant conflicts that are increasing, as Karnataka handed over six Kumki (trained) elephants to neighbouring Andhra Pradesh.
Four elephants were handed over by the Karnataka government to Andhra Pradesh at an event here that was attended by that state's Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan.
According to officials, the Kumki elephants will be used to control herds of rogue elephants in Andhra Pradesh, entering farmlands, ransacking fields and attacking people.
Elephants given to Andhra Pradesh are: Krishna (15) which was captured in Chikkamagaluru in 2022; Shivamogga Abhimanyu (14) captured in Honnali in 2023; Deva (39) captured in Kushalnagar in 2019; and Ranjan (26), an elephant born in the Dubare camp.
"We are handing over elephants to Andhra Pradesh from Karnataka. We have agreed on handing over six kumki elephants, but today we are handing over four and the remaining two will be handed over later. All these elephants are trained. For about one month, the mahouts who take care of elephants from Andhra were trained," Siddaramaiah said.
Addressing the handing over event, he said there are 3,695 elephants in the state, which is probably the highest in the country.
"In recent times, the human-elephant conflicts are increasing and cooperation of all states is important to prevent it. Only when there is coordination with other states, the conflicts can be brought down. If it can be prevented, it is even good. It has been increasing and should be brought down, as it is leading to loss of crops and lives. Stopping it is the responsibility of all states, including Karnataka," he added.
Stating that Karnataka has more elephants and has the potential to give them to other states, the CM said there is no need for anyone to worry.
"Increasing forest cover and protecting the forest is a responsible job. Human-elephant conflicts should be prevented. Let's all strive for it by joining hands with other states," he added.
Kumki elephants will help tackle the menace of wild elephants, destroying crops and occasionally attacking people in Andhra Pradesh, by driving wild herds back into forest limits.
Pawan Kalyan, later speaking to reporters, thanked Karnataka government for its help in mitigating human-elephant conflict in his state by providing Kumki elephants.
"Andhra Pradesh, for the last 20 years, has felt the need to mitigate elephant and human conflict and has thought about how to go about it. The Karnataka government has done an excellent job. Their mitigation measures are excellent and we are learning from the Karnataka government," he said.
Stating that the moment he approached Karnataka Forest Minister Eshwar Khandre without any hesitation, he agreed to help us, which is a great gesture. Apart from Kumki elephants, we have also had deeper knowledge sharing, Kalyan said.
"We did not request elephants. It is their (Karnataka's) large heartedness. Even if they had given two elephants it was more. The Karnataka CM and the minister have blessed us with six elephants," he said, as he assured that the elephants will be taken care of well, and he would personally monitor them from time to time.
The elephants will be partly in Chittoor and north coastal Andhra. Kumki elephants will be used to guide the wild elephants and make sure that they don't come over to human habitation, which leads to human-elephant conflicts, he said.
Asked whether this is a new beginning in the relationship between two states, Kalyan said, "Exactly, this is what Karnataka Deputy CM D K Shivakumar also said. He spoke about speaking to Andhra Pradesh CM Chandrababu Naidu regarding Tungabhadra water sharing. I will take the request that has been put across. I will take it forward and meditate on whatever is needed between both states."
ದೇಶದಲ್ಲೇ ಆನೆ ಸಂಪತ್ತು ಹೆಚ್ಚಾಗಿರುವ ರಾಜ್ಯ ನಮ್ಮದು. 3,695 ಆನೆಗಳು ನಮ್ಮಲ್ಲಿವೆ. ಮಾನವ - ಆನೆ ಸಂಘರ್ಷ ತಡೆಗಟ್ಟಲು ಅಕ್ಕಪಕ್ಕದ ರಾಜ್ಯಗಳ ಸಹಕಾರವೂ ಅಗತ್ಯ.
— CM of Karnataka (@CMofKarnataka) May 21, 2025
ಮಾನವ, ಆನೆ ಸಂಘರ್ಷ ತಡೆಯುವುದರಿಂದ ಜೀವ ಹಾನಿ, ಬೆಳೆ ಹಾನಿ ತಪ್ಪುತ್ತದೆ. ಈ ಮಹತ್ವದ ಉದ್ದೇಶದಿಂದಲೇ ರಾಜ್ಯದಿಂದ ಆರು ಕುಮ್ಕಿ ಆನೆಗಳನ್ನು ಆಂಧ್ರಕ್ಕೆ… pic.twitter.com/g8lAPC4NAB
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Centre spent Rs 76.13 lakh on print media ads for RSS centenary, reveals RTI
New Delhi: The Union Ministry of Culture allegedly spent Rs 76.13 lakh on print advertisements marking the 100-year celebrations of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), according to a Right to Information (RTI) reply.
The information was sought by RTI activist Ajay Basudev Bose, who filed an application seeking details on expenditure incurred by the ministry for advertisements commemorating the RSS centenary.
Bose shared a picture of the reply from the ministry on his official ‘X’ handle.
“It is informed that an amount of Rs 76,13,129 has been spent on advertisement given in various print media by the Ministry of Culture on the occasion of the completion of 100 years of RSS,” the government’s reply stated.
RTI reply shows Min of Culture Govt of India spent a Whopping Rs 76L,13K,129 on Advertisement in Print Media on occasion of 100 yrs of #RSS
— AJAY Basudev Bose (@AjayBos93388306) April 16, 2026
When Everyone knows RSS is Not Registered & Does not Pay any Tax is it justified to spend Tax Payers Money on such Private event??@RSSorg… pic.twitter.com/dW4IUtdNCg
Bose questioned the expenditure in the post X, “when Everyone knows RSS is Not Registered & Does not Pay any Tax is it justified to spend Tax Payers Money on such Private event??”
Reacting to the development, Karnataka’s IT-BT and Panchayat Raj Minister Priyank Kharge also criticised the spending.
In a post on X, he asked why public money was being used for what he described as a “private ideological project.”
"Modi Sarkar spent Rs 76,13,129 of public money on newspaper advertisements to celebrate 100 years of the RSS. Why is Government spending taxpayers money on an unregistered, non-tax-paying organisation to celebrate their centenary?," he added.
Why is public money being used to serve a private ideological project?
— Priyank Kharge / ಪ್ರಿಯಾಂಕ್ ಖರ್ಗೆ (@PriyankKharge) April 16, 2026
Modi Sarkar spent ₹76,13,129 of public money on newspaper advertisements to celebrate 100 years of the RSS.
Why is Government spending taxpayers money on an unregistered, non-tax-paying organisation to… pic.twitter.com/EoZ6Pim3IM
According to reports, the RSS describes itself as a volunteer-based organisation and has stated that it functions as a body of individuals rather than a registered entity.
Founded by Keshav Baliram Hedgewar in 1925, the organisation is marking its centenary year beginning from Vijaydashami in 2025, with the milestone observed on October 2.
