Karnataka women can travel up to 20 km inside border states free of cost in buses: Siddaramaiah
Bengaluru(PTI): As the stage is set for the launch of first of the five poll guarantees, Shakti', offering free travel in government buses for women in Karnataka, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Saturday clarified that they can travel up to 20 km inside the border states free of cost and not beyond that.
The Chief Minister said he along with Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar and Transport Minister Ramalinga Reddy will launch the scheme from Vidhana Soudha on Sunday.
"We are launching one of the five guarantees at Vidhana Soudha at 11 AM. All women will be entitled to travel within the state free of cost in all the (state-owned) buses other than AC and Volvo including express bus services," Siddaramaiah told reporters.
If women want to travel in inter-state bus then the service is not free, the Chief Minister said adding, if a woman wishes to go to Tirupati, she cannot travel free of cost. She can go up to Mulbagal (Kolar district bordering Andhra Pradesh) and after that it's not available, he explained.
However those travelling up to 20 km inside the neighbouring states will not be charged.
"For example, from Ballari to 20 km inside Andhra Pradesh, they (women) can go free of cost," Siddaramaiah said.
Explaining about the launch of four other guarantees, the Chief Minister said 'Gruha Jyoti' offering 200 free units of electricity to domestic consumers will be launched from Kalaburagi from July 1.
The same day, 'Anna Bhagya' scheme offering 10 kg free rice or food grain to the BPL families will be launched from Mysuru.
Regarding Gruha Lakshmi' scheme (Providing monthly financial assistance of Rs.2,000 to the head woman of a house), the Chief Minister said it will be launched on August 16 from the district headquarter town of Belagavi.
"We will call for applications for Gruha Lakshmi scheme from July 15, which will be processed till August 15. After that, we will launch it from August 16, most likely in Belagavi," he said.
About 'Yuva Nidhi' scheme offering unemployment allowance of Rs 3,000 to the graduates and Rs 1,500 to the diploma holders, Siddaramaiah said those graduates and diploma holders who passed the exams in 2022-23 will get the allowance for 24 months if they do not get job within six months of passing their exam.
"We will give them allowance for 24 months. They have to find a job within the time. If they get a job either in government or private sector, then the allowance will be stopped," the Chief Minister clarified.
When asked how the government will ascertain that the beneficiary has got the job, he said, "Do you think government will not know? We will gather all the information. We will take action against those making false declaration."
To a question on the financial health of the state to implement these schemes, Siddaramaiah counter posed the reporter, "Why do you bother about government's headache? We will definitely do it." About the BJP's allegation that the state's treasury will be empty to fulfill these guarantees, the Chief Minister charged that the BJP did not do anything when in power and now it was simply issuing statements.
"Did they (BJP) do anything? I am the Finance Minister. Who are they (BJP) to say?" he said.
Regarding people complaining that they were getting hefty electricity bills, Siddaramaiah clarified that the Karnataka Electricity Regulatory Commission revises the electricity tariff in March or April every year and implements it in June.
This year too it was hiked even before the Congress came to power. Due to model code of conduct for the 2023 assembly elections, which came into effect from March 29, the revision of power tariff was put on hold. Now it will be implemented from June.
Replying to a query on 'Gruha Jyoti' scheme, Siddaramaiah said it was not mandatory to avail free electricity as some people may opt for it and others give it up.
"If you say that you don't want it then why should I insist for it?" he explained.
According to Siddaramaiah, the electricity is free up to 200 units but everyone does not use 200 units of power because average domestic electricity consumption in the state is 53 units only.
"Some may spend 65 units, 70 units or 80 units. Whatever average power you consume, we will give 10 per cent extra unit. People are saying 200 units free power is being given. But your consumption is 80 units. Why will you take 200 units? If we give 200 units free, then people will misuse it. So, it should not happen," the Chief Minister pointed out.
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Real Madrid fines Valverde and Tchouaméni half a million euros each for altercation
Barcelona (AP): Real Madrid slapped players Federico Valverde and Aurélien Tchouaméni with half-a-million-euro ($588,000) fines on Friday for their altercation during practice.
The massive fines came a day after the midfielders tussled when the team trained. Valverde said in a post on social media on Thursday that no punches were thrown. But Valverde knocked his head on a table and he suffered a small cut that required a brief hospital visit.
On social media, Valverde initially called it a “meaningless fight” with a teammate and said “everything has been blown out of proportion."
His employers, however, considered it a significant enough breach of team discipline to nail both Valverde and Tchouaméni with fines that bite even the bank account of a top soccer player. The half-a-million euro penalties reflect the reputational damage the club was enduring in a chaotic end to a disappointing season.
In a statement, the 15-time European champion said its disciplinary action was concluded after both players expressed to the club “their complete remorse for what happened and apologized to one another.”
Madrid added they also apologized to their teammates, the coaching staff and club supporters, as well as showing their willingness to accept whatever disciplinary action the club deemed “opportune.”
Tchouaméni was back training with Madrid on Friday, two days before they play at Barcelona in a clasico. Madrid has to win otherwise Barcelona will be crowned La Liga champion.
After being notified of the fine, he posted a public apology to the club and its fans on social media.
“What happened this week in training is unacceptable,” Tchouaméni wrote. "I say this while thinking about the example we are expected to set for young people, whether in football or at school.
“Above all, I am sorry for the image we projected of the club.”
Valverde was not at practice due to the head knock.
Both players are set to play in the World Cup next month, with Tchouaméni playing for France and Valverde for Uruguay.
Chaotic end to a poor season
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The run-in between the players, who for seasons have played side by side in Madrid's midfield, came after they argued this week in previous training sessions. But tempers boiled over on Thursday. Spanish media was rife with reports that the players previously disagreed over the club's decision to let coach Xabi Alonso go after just months on the job.
It was not the only altercation involving Madrid players during training this week. Álvaro Carreras confirmed he was in a “minor” incident with a teammate. Spanish media said he and fellow defender Antonio Rüdiger got into a scuffle.
Álvaro Arbeloa, the coach who was promoted from Madrid's reserve team when Alonso was fired in January, will face tough questions on what went wrong inside the changing room when he gives a press conference on Saturday ahead of the clasico at Camp Nou.
Madrid is facing a second consecutive campaign without a major trophy amid rumors in the Spanish media that club president Florentino Pérez is considering bringing back Jose Mourinho to straighten out his underperforming team.
