Karnataka govt schools, colleges to hold POCSO awareness drive amid rise in teenage pregnancies
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Bengaluru: In response to the alarming rise in teenage pregnancies across Karnataka, the state government is launching a large-scale awareness drive on the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act in all government schools and colleges.
Starting in November and running through January, the programme will be conducted across 40,000 government schools and 4,248 colleges, targeting students from Classes 6 to 12.
“A government order was passed recently to create awareness among students about the POCSO Act. Teachers have already been trained on the POCSO Act by former judges, child rights activists, and legal experts,” The New Indian Express quoted Vidya Kumari, State Project Director of Samagra Shikshana Karnataka, as saying.
The manual prepared for the campaign includes sections on what constitutes child sexual abuse, the provisions and background of the POCSO Act, offences and punishments under the law, child laws (2015–2021) and amendments, guidelines on safe and unsafe touch, and understanding the emotional effects of love and romance during adolescence.
It also educates students on what to do if they are victims or at risk of sexual exploitation, and encourages familiarity with child-friendly police stations and open houses, added the report.
Vasudev Sharma, Executive Director of the Child Rights Trust, praised the government's initiative but suggested it should have been introduced earlier. “Teenage pregnancies have increased in Karnataka, bringing emotional and physical consequences. Before teachers or experts, students must first be taught about human biology and the difference between safe and unsafe touch," TNIE quoted him as saying.
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Power tariffs under BESCOM to rise from May 1
Bengaluru (PTI): Power bills for consumers under the Bangalore Electricity Supply Company Limited (BESCOM) will go up from May 1, following an order issued by the Karnataka Electricity Regulatory Commission (KERC) on Friday.
The hike comes after KERC allowed the BESCOM to recover a revenue deficit of Rs 2,068 crore incurred in 2024-25, from the consumers.
As a result, for every unit of electricity consumed in 2024-25, the customers will be charged an additional 56 paise, it said.
"BESCOM shall calculate, for each of the active consumers of FY2024-25 the amount to be recovered based on their actual energy consumption during FY2024-25. Such amount shall be recovered during FY 2026-27 in equal monthly instalments, to be called as 'FY25 True up Charges', commencing from the first meter reading date falling on or after 1 May 2026 and concluding with the reading date ending on 30 April 2027," the order said.
"It is further ordered that BESCOM shall maintain a separate head of account, allocated for the purpose, to record the adjustment of the said amount to ensure full recovery of the deficit," it added.
Similarly Chamundeshwari Electricity Supply Corporation Limited (CESC) has also recorded a revenue deficit of Rs 121.71 crore and can collect an additional 15 paisa per unit for consumption in 2024-25, official sources said.
