Rise in dengue cases: BJP leader urges govt to declare "emergency situation" in K'taka
Bengaluru: Amid reports of a spike in dengue cases in the state, Leader of Opposition in the Karnataka Assembly R Ashoka on Sunday urged the government to declare it an "emergency situation", and to make testing free.
The BJP leader also stressed the need to set up a task force in every taluk and a control room, among other measures to monitor and to control the dengue spread.
"Dengue cases are on a rise in the state since January, two children have died due to dengue and there are reports of three to four deaths due to dengue every day and it is painful. There is fear among people across the state, but the government is not afraid yet," Ashoka said.
While speaking to reporters after visiting a government hospital here and meeting infected patients and doctors, he said, 13-14 per cent among the hundred samples checked are getting confirmed for dengue, and there are reports of more deaths among those suffering with comorbidities.
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"So controlling dengue is important.....the government should have constituted a taskforce in every taluk, set up a control room, ensured supply of medicines, which they have not done," he added.
Further stating that according to information that he has gathered more than two lakh people are infected by dengue in the state, Ashoka said, the government should bear the expenses of testing.
"The way we did free testing during COVID...I urge the government to immediately make testing free. Rs 600-Rs1,000 is being charged for testing, poor are unable to test," he said.
Pointing out that the government has increased taxes on everything, he said, "free testing may cost about Rs 10 crore, is the government unable to spend that much?" Noting that among those infected many are children, Ashoka said, probably the government has not observed this.
"The government should declare dengue an emergency situation and create alertness among the officials," he said.
He also stressed the need for cleanliness, mobilisation of ASHA and Anganwadi workers to keep a house-to-house check on those with dengue symptoms, setting up separate wards at hospitals for dengue cases, fogging to control mosquitos and to create awareness and assurance among the people who were panicking about the situation.
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Why remove Mahatma Gandhi's name, asks Priyanka on move to replace MGNREGA
New Delhi (PTI): Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Monday slammed the government over its move to change the name of MGNREGA, asking what is the government's intention behind removing the name of Mahatma Gandhi who is the tallest leader not just in India but in the world.
A bill to repeal the MGNREGA and bring a new law for rural employment -- Viksit Bharat Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) (VB-G RAM G) Bill, 2025 -- is set to be introduced in the Lok Sabha. According to a copy of the bill, it seeks to introduce the VB-G RAM G Bill, 2025, in Parliament and repeal the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) of 2005.
Asked about the government's move, Priyanka Gandhi said, "Whenever the name of a scheme is changed there are so many changes that have to be made in offices, stationery... for which money is spent. So, what is the benefit, why it is being done?"
"Why is Mahatma Gandhi's name being removed. Mahatma Gandhi is considered the tallest leader not just in the country but in the world, so removing his name, I really don't understand what is the objective? What is their intention?" she told reporters in Parliament House complex.
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"Even when we are debating it is on other issues not the real issues of the people. Time is being wasted, money is being wasted, they are disrupting themselves," Priyanka Gandhi added.
The bill aims at establishing a "rural development framework aligned with the national vision of Viksit Bharat 2047", by providing a statutory guarantee of 125 days of wage employment in every financial year to every rural household whose adult members volunteer to undertake unskilled manual work.
The bill has been listed in the Lok Sabha in the supplementary list of business issued on Monday.
Rural Development Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, in the statement of purpose of the Bill, said MGNREGA has provided guaranteed wage-employment to rural households over the past 20 years.
However, "further strengthening has become necessary in view of the significant socio-economic transformation witnessed in the rural landscape driven by widespread coverage of the social security interventions and saturation-oriented implementation of major government schemes", he said.
