Karnataka to get new ministry for Non-resident Kannadigas: Home Minister Dr. G Parameshwara
Bengaluru: Karnataka Home Minister Dr. G Parameshwara has declared that a separate ministry will be started by the state government to deal with the needs of Non-resident Kannadigas, similar to the move taken recently by the Kerala government.
Addressing a group of more than 15 such Non-resident Kannadigas, who were visiting the state capital on being specially invited by Speaker UT Khader, the Home Minister said on Wednesday that he also welcomed the move by the Speaker to permit the group, under the guidance of Dr. Arathi Krishna, Vice-President of the Non-resident Indians' Commission, to watch the discussions of issues concerning Non-resident Kannadigas during the Zero Hour of the Karnataka Legislative Assembly.
"Kerala has taken a positive step in its attempt to respond to the needs of Non-resident Indians (NRI) by setting up a new ministry. Our government would like to follow on the steps of the Kerala government by trying to support Kannadigas living outside Karnataka. The Congress had stated in the election manifesto last year that if we came to power we will start a new ministry for NRIs. Extending the idea, we now wish to support Kannadigas living outside the state too," Parameshwara explained.
He added that, while the governments start ministries for the support of NRIs, many beneficiaries of the programs under the ministry express their desire to invest in various fields in Karnataka, with a hope to help their motherland develop.
The Speaker UT Khader, commenting on the starting of the new ministry, said, "Non-resident Kannadigas have been trying to spread awareness about the beauty of their motherland wherever they live. They have also been involving themselves in various activities to serve the people here, including trying to find employment for thousands of Kannadigas, with their earnings from abroad. When Non-resident Kannadigas continue to contribute to the development of both, our state and our nation, we certainly should consider it our duty to help solve the problems they face."
Health Minister Dinesh Gundurao, who spoke on the occasion, said, "Many natives of coastal Karnataka, who are employed abroad, contribute to the progress of the state. Protecting the interests of such people is important as it also brings us investment."
Arvind Bellad, Leader of the Opposition in the Assembly, attributed the increase in pride among NRIs regarding their motherland to the efforts of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Ministers MB Patil and Priyank Kharge, MLA NA Haris and other senior political leaders spoke on the contributions of NRIs over the decades.
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Air India resorts to cost-cutting ways amid 'tough times'; layoffs not anticipated
New Delhi/Mumbai (PTI): Hit hard by Pakistan airspace closure and Iran war, Air India has resorted to cost-cutting measures, including holding back annual increments for staff and asking them to cut discretionary spending as well as non-critical expenditures, warning of "tough times".
On Friday, Air India Chief Executive Officer & Managing Director (CEO & MD) Campbell Wilson told the staff it is going to be a "very, very difficult year" if things don't improve on the Middle East front.
A day after the loss-making airline's board discussed various cost-saving steps, Wilson, along with Chief Financial Officer (CFO) Sanjay Sharma and Chief Human Resources Officer (CHRO) Ravindra Kumar GP, addressed the employees during a townhall on Friday where the emphasis on the need to keep a close watch on costs.
With higher jet fuel prices due to the West Asia conflict and airspace curbs, the loss-making airline's expenses have spiralled in recent times and against this backdrop, Sharma also told staffers that FY26 has seen a softening in revenue amid heightened external uncertainties.
Calling for a relentless focus on costs in these tough times, Wilson urged employees to suspend discretionary spending, renegotiate rates where feasible, and defer non-critical expenditures.
"There must be a laser-sharp focus on eliminating wastage and leakages," he said.
Stressing the need to tighten the belt for a while, Wilson sounded optimistic that travel demand would rebound and the industry would continue on its upward path.
CHRO Ravindra Kumar told staff that the airline will proceed with variable pay for the last financial year and continue with planned promotions while noting that annual increments will be deferred by at least one quarter.
"We don't anticipate layoffs," he said.
At the airline's board meeting on Thursday, various cost-saving steps, including likely furloughs, were discussed. The Tata Group-owned airline has around 24,000 employees.
Generally, furlough refers to sending staff on unpaid leaves by companies during a tough financial situation.
During the townhall, CFO Sanjay Sharma said while strong revenue growth and fleet expansion drove financial momentum through FY25, FY26 has seen a softening in revenue amid heightened external uncertainties.
Air India has seen around 40 per cent CAGR (Compounded Annual Growth Rate) in revenue between 2022 and 2025, he added.
The airline was acquired by the Tata Group from the government in January 2022.
The Air India CEO mentioned the external challenges being facing the aviation industry as a whole, including the continued closure of Pakistan airspace that is expected to persist for the foreseeable future and geopolitical conflicts leading to disruptions and airspace closures across West Asia.
Wilson, who is set to step down later this year, also flagged a sharp depreciation of the rupee and a 2.5-3 times increase in jet fuel prices, and added that these factors have adversely affected travel sentiment and consumer confidence, as per the sources.
If the Strait of Hormuz opens, oil prices fall and consumer as well as business confidence come back, there is a decent chance of a solid recovery, Wilson said, adding that unless those circumstances happen, it was going to be "a very, very difficult year".
"I feel somewhat responsible that we ended up with probably the biggest surprise of the year in the external environment which was a full-scale war in our neighbouring region in the Gulf. That has had a huge impact on airspace," he said.
For Air India, Wilson said the situation is compounded by the fact that the airline cannot fly over the neighbouring country and has to take a much longer routing for any west-bound destination.
"Every airline is reporting that they are under some sort of financial pressure as a result of higher fuel prices and economic uncertainty. So, it is unfortunately not a great environment to be running an airline," the Air India CEO said.
The Air India Group -- Air India and Air India Express -- is projected to have incurred more than Rs 22,000 crore loss in the financial year ended March 2026.
At the townhall, Wilson also highlighted various initiatives, including completion of the retrofit of its legacy narrow-body aircraft and rapid network optimisation to redeploy capacity more efficiently.
