Karnataka govt seeks central funds for Jal Jeevan Mission works
Bengaluru (PTI): Karnataka Minister Priyank Kharge on Saturday urged Union Jal Shakti Minister C R Patil to release the pending share under the Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM) to ensure timely completion of works and enable access to safe drinking water for rural households in the state.
He noted that Karnataka has been successfully implementing the mission, demonstrating significant physical and financial progress during the fiscal years 2023-24, 2024-25 and 2025-26.
According to Kharge, till date, connections to more than 86 per cent of rural households have been provided, and other multi-village and single-village schemes are at different stages of progress.
In a letter to Patil, the Karnataka Minister for Rural Development and Panchayati Raj, IT/BT, highlighted that the state has been proactively supporting the scheme through budgetary allocations and timely releases, including an allocation of Rs 11,050 crore in the current financial year.
The financial progress since the inception of JJM stands at Rs 35,698.58 crore against an approved cost of Rs 69,487.60 crore.
"It is pertinent to note that out of the total expenditure of 35,698.58 crore, the state share is Rs 24,598.45 crore while the central share is only Rs 11,786.63 crore, which reflect the huge shortfall of the matching central government share. In this FY also, the state government has released 1,500 crore while central releases till now is nil," Kharge stated.
He said the state government has proactively disbursed funds to mitigate any "potential delays" and sustain ongoing works in anticipation of central government funds.
"The scheme requires sustained support from the Government of India for effective implementation, including timely release of central grants. Currently, bills amounting to approximately Rs 1,700 crore are pending for payment and bills amounting to Rs. 2,600 crore are in the pipeline," he stated.
The minister also warned that further delays could slow or stall the works.
He noted that a few contractors have already started demobilisation and downsizing manpower, which is "seriously hampering the progress of work".
"In view of the above, it is requested that the central share be released expeditiously to ensure timely completion of works, thereby enabling access to safe drinking water to rural households. We look forward to continued support of the central government in this regard," the letter added.
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Shah Rukh Khan, Kajol unveil ‘DDLJ’ sculpture at London’s Leicester Square
London (PTI): Bollywood stars Shah Rukh Khan and Kajol huddled under an umbrella on a rainy Thursday in London to unveil their bronze likeness from an iconic ‘Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge’ scene.
The sculpture of the duo joins Leicester Square’s ‘Scenes in the Square’ trail depicting memorable shots from some of the world’s most famous films, with ‘DDLJ’ marking a Bollywood first and the 30th anniversary of the 1995 box-office hit. It is in this popular London square that SRK as Raj and Kajol as Simran first cross paths unknowingly.
“DDLJ was made with a pure heart. We wanted to tell a story about love, how it can bridge barriers and how the world would be a better place if it had a lot of love in it, and I think this is why 'DDLJ' has had a lasting impact for over 30 years now," said Khan.
“Personally, 'DDLJ' is part of my identity, and it is humbling to see film, and Kajol and me, receiving so much love since it was released,” he said.
He expressed his gratitude to the Heart of London Business Alliance, behind the cinematic trail at Leicester Square, for celebrating ‘DDLJ’ and “immortalising” its lead stars.
“Seeing ‘DDLJ’ become the first Indian film to be honoured in the iconic Scenes in the Square trail is an emotional moment and has brought back so many memories.
"I feel immense pride knowing the film has been embraced around the world, and I want to share this moment with the entire cast and crew of ‘DDLJ’, my friend and director Aditya Chopra and the Yash Raj Films family. This is a moment I will never forget,” added Khan.
Kajol, joined by her daughter Nysa and son Yug, posed with Khan in front of the statue as she braved the rain in a green saree.
“It’s incredible to see ‘Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge’ continue to receive so much love, even 30 years later. Watching the statue being unveiled in London felt like reliving a piece of our history - a story that has truly travelled across generations,” said Kajol.
“Seeing it find its rightful place in Leicester Square, a location of such enormous significance to ‘DDLJ’, makes this moment even more special. For the film to be honoured in this way in the UK – the first Indian film to receive such recognition – is something that will forever stay in the hearts and minds of all the ‘DDLJ’ fans across the world,” she said.
Their statue, captured in a dancing pose from the hit song ‘Mehndi Laga Ke Rakhna’, joins the likes of Harry Potter, Bridget Jones, Mary Poppins, and Batman in what is dubbed as an ever-growing celebration of movie magic in a square packed with multiplex cinema screens.
“When ‘Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge’, DDLJ, was released 30 years ago, the film became a defining moment for Indian cinema and changed the face of the industry, capturing the hearts of everyone who saw it all over the globe," said Akshaye Widhani, CEO of Yash Raj Films.
“We’re thrilled to be the first Indian film to be represented in ‘Scenes in the Square’. It also marks 30 years of DDLJ, a film that has spread love and joy globally, and shows the cultural impact it has had in UK.
“We are honoured that our superstars and our film are being recognised on the world stage alongside the Hollywood elite, from Gene Kelly to Laurel & Hardy to Harry Potter. This statue will be a great way to express the international appeal of Indian movies and build bridges amongst communities through cinema,” he said.
Since its release in 1995, ‘DDLJ’ has become the longest-running film in Hindi cinema history.
Ros Morgan, Chief Executive at Heart of London Business Alliance, said: “We’re proud to welcome global megastars Shah Rukh Khan and Kajol to our Scenes in the Square trail.
"Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge is a cinematic phenomenon that has shaped generations, and London’s first tribute to Indian cinema honours a story whose magic continues to captivate audiences worldwide.”
It is a particularly special year for the film, with a musical based on the romance playing to packed houses at Manchester’s Opera House earlier this year. Aditya Chopra reprised his role as director of the English language stage production, ‘Come Fall In Love – The DDLJ Musical’, which revolved around the love story of Simran and Roger.
The script was a nod to the original as it followed Simran as a young British Indian woman who finds herself engaged to a family friend in India in an arranged marriage. However, the plot thickens when she falls in love with a British man named Roger.
