Karnataka Legislature session from September 13 to 24
Bengaluru, Aug 19: The Karnataka Cabinet on Thursday decided to convene the state legislature session for 10 days from September 13 to 24.
"We have decided to call the legislature session from September 13 to 24, it will be for 10 days," Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister J C Madhuswamy said.
Speaking to reporters here after the cabinet meeting, he said, it will be held at Vidhana Soudha in Bengaluru.
This is the first legislature session after the new government led by Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai took charge.
The cabinet has also given its approval for various "Amrith" programmes announced by the Chief Minister on Independence Day to mark the Platinum Jubilee of Indian Independence.
Madhuswamy said Amrith Nirmala Nagara programme that was announced will be launched in 75 urban local bodies to keep them clean and beautiful. "We are providing Rs 75 crore for this."
Also, a total of 750 Primary Health Care (PHCs) centres will be upgraded for which Rs 150 crore is being provided, he said, also, a total of 750 farmer producer organisations would be set up to promote production and marketing of agriculture, fisheries and weavers products. The grant will be given for three years and a total of Rs 225 crore will be spent on this.
Further, a total of Rs 75 crore will be spent on providing basic infrastructure such as digital library, smart teaching class, lab and toilets at the select 750 schools at a cost of Rs 10 lakh per school, the Minister said.
It has also planned to provide Rs 1 lakh as seed money to each of the selected 7,500 self-help groups whose transactions are transparent and have done a good job, to set up Micro Enterprises, for this a total of Rs 75 crore grant is being given, he said.
In about 750 gram panchayats works will be taken up for improving basic infrastructure like street lights, drinking water, waste disposal, installing Solar Power, digital libraries among others and for this each gram panchayat will be given a grant of Rs 25 lakh, he added.
The cabinet has also decided to procure and distribute sanitary napkin pads to adolescent girls, 10 pads per girl student, in government and aided schools and colleges under the "Shuchi" programme, aimed at maintaining hygiene.
Rs 47 crore is being provided for this, and the Health Department will implement the programme, the Minister said.
Administrative approval has been given to upgrade 2,859 Health Sub-Centres to "Health and Wellness Centres" at the cost of Rs 478.91 crore.
"Sixty percent of the grant will be given by the centre....wherever there are vacancies staff nurse and auxiliary nurse midwife (ANM) will be outsourced or BSc nursing graduates will be taken for three years, giving them consolidated salary," he said.
With a new government coming in, the cabinet has authorised CM Basavaraj Bommai to reconstitute all the cabinet sub-committees.
Also, the cabinet has cleared the Karnataka State Mental Health Care Rules-2021.
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India, Ethiopia elevate ties to strategic partnership as PM Modi holds talks with his counterpart
Addis Ababa (PTI): India and Ethiopia on Tuesday elevated their historical ties to a strategic partnership, as Prime Minister Narendra Modi held wide-ranging talks with his Ethiopian counterpart Abiy Ahmed Ali during which they discussed issues of bilateral and mutual interest.
Modi, who arrived here from Jordan on his maiden bilateral visit, was accorded a ceremonial welcome at the National Palace ahead of the bilateral talks, reflecting the vibrant India-Ethiopia relations rooted in shared history and a promising future.
"We are elevating India and Ethiopia relations to a strategic partnership. This step will provide new energy, new momentum and new depth to our ties," Prime Minister Modi said during the delegation-level talks.
He thanked PM Ali for his support in India's fight against terrorism. "The support of friendly countries in this struggle against terrorism holds great significance," Modi said.
"Today, we got the opportunity to deliberate on the key aspects of our cooperation, such as economy, innovation, technology, defence, health, capacity-building and multilateral cooperation. I am pleased that today, we have decided to double the student scholarship for Ethiopia in India," Modi said.
Modi said that India and Ethiopia have shared contact, dialogue, and exchange for thousands of years. The two countries, which are rich in languages and traditions, are symbols of unity in diversity, he added.
"Both countries are democratic powers committed to peace and the welfare of humanity. We are co-travellers and partners of the Global South. On international platforms, we have stood shoulder-to-shoulder," he said.
The two sides signed eight MoUs/agreements, including upgrading ties to 'Strategic Partnership', customs cooperation, establishing data center at the Ethiopian Foreign Ministry, UN Peacekeeping training cooperation, debt restructuring under G20, more ICCR scholarships and AI short courses for Ethiopians, and support for maternal and neonatal healthcare.
Modi said the African Union's headquarters in Ethiopia makes the country a meeting point of African diplomacy. "Inspired by the common vision of an inclusive world, in 2023, India ensured that the African Union became a G20 member," he said.
In 2023, during India’s G20 Presidency, the African Union was admitted as a permanent member of the G20.
Modi said that though this is his first visit, he felt a deep sense of belonging and warmth, reflecting the thousands of years of connection between the two countries.
On his part, Prime Minister Ali said the two countries share over thousands of years of connection through trade, diplomacy, education, culture and even in our food and traditions. "These ties continue to shape a deep friendship, collaboration and mutual respect between our people," he said.
"We also appreciate your consistent message that Africa's priorities must lead the partnership. These kinds of dignified, respectful messages for Africa are very important. Mr Prime Minister, keep pushing. That is the type of message we are expecting from all our trusted friends," Ali said.
He said this aligned fully with Ethiopia's development plan - African-owned, African-led, and African-defined.
"Today, we meet with a clear focus to shape a modern partnership, grounded in sovereignty, self-reliance and practical cooperation. Our cooperation is rooted in equality and South-South solidarity," he said.
"Our economy is performing strongly. Last year, we grew 9.2% and this year we are expecting 10.3% GDP growth. Besides GDP growth, our FDI inflow is also rising big time. India is the leading source for our FDI," he said.
"We have more than 615 Indian companies which are investing in Ethiopia. This all gives our cooperation a strong foundation of trust. I think our decision today that we elevate our historic relationship to a strategic relationship is the right decision," he added.
Ethiopia also conferred its highest award - The Great Honour Nishan of Ethiopia - on PM Modi. He is the first global head of state to receive this award.
Prime Minister Modi also went to the Friendship Park and Friendship Square in Addis Ababa with PM Ali.
In a warm and special gesture, PM Modi was earlier received by his Ethiopian counterpart at the airport and accorded a warm and colourful welcome.
"Ethiopia is a nation with great history and vibrant culture," Modi said.
PM Ali informed his Indian counterpart about the varieties of Ethiopian coffee during informal talks.
"At Addis Ababa airport, took part in a traditional Coffee Ceremony with Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed Ali. The ceremony beautifully highlights Ethiopia’s rich heritage," Modi said.
In a unique gesture, the Ethiopian Prime Minister drove Modi to the hotel.
On the way, he took a special initiative of taking PM Modi to the Science Museum and Friendship Park, which was not in the itinerary.
"Gratitude to Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed Ali for showing me glimpses of Ethiopian history and culture at the National Palace Museum in Addis Ababa. It was a powerful reminder of Ethiopia’s rich traditions," Modi said in a post on X.
The Nobel Peace Prize-winning Ethiopian PM’s special gestures show remarkable respect for Modi, sources said.
"Thank you Ethiopia for a welcome that was unforgettable. The Indian community showed remarkable warmth and affection. India-Ethiopia friendship is going to get even more robust in the times to come," Modi said.
When Modi arrived at the hotel, he was warmly welcomed by the members of the Indian community. Local artists performed dances. Some of them danced on the theme of the popular Hindi song 'Aisa Des Hai Mera' to welcome him.
On Wednesday, Modi will address the Joint Session of Parliament and share his thoughts on India's journey as the "Mother of Democracy" and the value that the India-Ethiopia partnership can bring to the Global South.
PM Modi arrived in Ethiopia from Jordan, where he held a one-on-one meeting with King Abdullah II at the Husseiniya Palace on Monday before the delegation-level talks.
India and Jordan also inked MoUs in the fields of culture, renewable energy, water management, digital public infrastructure and twinning arrangement between Petra and Ellora, aimed at giving a major boost to bilateral ties and friendship.
From Ethiopia, Modi will visit Oman on the final leg of this three-nation tour.
