Karnataka government reduces flood damage estimate by 3,290 crore
Bengaluru, Sept 17: Karnataka Revenue Minister R Ashoka Tuesday said the state has reduced its flood damage estimate by Rs 3,290 crore RPT Rs 3,290 crore after the union government objected to inclusion of private buildings that were affected.
"We had sent estimates, including private building losses...like private hospitals, schools. So today we are sending (flood damage estimate) after revising it from the earlier Rs 38,451.11 crore to Rs 35,160.81 crore. Now we have deleted private buildings as the centre had objected to it," Ashoka told reporters here.
The union government would release the amount as per the rules, he said and expressed the hope it would be done soon.
As many as 103 taluks in 22 districts were affected due to floods last month, in which over 80 people were killed.
Around seven lakh people were shifted to safe areas and lakhs of houses were damaged.
Opposition parties, including the Congress and JD(S) have hit out at BJP governments at the centre and the state over the 'delay' in release of funds, despite Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and the inter-ministerial central team visiting the affected areas.
Congress leader Siddaramaiah had on Sunday alleged that the centre has sent back the state's memorandum, seeking some clarifications and sought to know what difficulty Prime Minister Narendra Modi had in announcing the interim relief.
The revenue minister noted that a delegation of revenue department officials would head to Delhi to follow up with the centre on flood relief.
He maintained the state government has already released money for immediate relief and that central funds would be needed for rehabilitation of those displaced in the future.
The government hiked the ex-gratia from Rs 3,800 to Rs 10,000 per household to provide immediate relief to the flood affected, providing Rs 6,200 from the exchequer.
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AIITA welcomes Karnataka’s ban on obscene songs in school events
Bhatkal: The Karnataka unit of the All India Ideal Teachers Association (AIITA) has welcomed the Karnataka government’s decision to strictly ban school children from dancing to obscene songs during educational and cultural programmes in government, aided, and private schools across the state.
AIITA Karnataka State President M. R. Manvi congratulated the government for taking what he termed an important step to preserve the sanctity of education.
“Such decisions to safeguard the dignity of school children and uphold the values of education are the need of the hour. This rule should not be limited to government schools alone but must be strictly implemented in all private educational institutions as well,” he said.
He further urged the government to address other concerns within school programmes.
“The government should not only prohibit obscene dances in the name of school anniversaries, but also ensure that plays and dialogues that incite religious hatred are avoided. Schools should be centres of harmony, not platforms for spreading hatred,” he added.
According to a recent circular issued by the Department of School Education and Literacy, obscene dances are adversely affecting the mental health and moral values of students.
In this regard, schools have been advised to use songs that promote nationalism, positive thinking, the greatness of Kannada culture, and value-based traditions instead of inappropriate content during programmes.
The circular also emphasises that students should be dressed in decent attire.
AIITA also backed the department’s warning that disciplinary action would be taken against head teachers if such guidelines are violated. The association has further demanded that district Deputy Directors of Public Instruction strictly monitor the implementation of these rules.
