Surjewala urges Centre to release drought relief to Karnataka, questions "silence" of BJP MPs
Bengaluru (PTI): Congress General Secretary and Karnataka incharge Randeep Singh Surjewala on Wednesday urged the union government to immediately release Centre's grants to the State including drought relief without any further delay.
He also questioned the ''silence'' of BJP MPs on the matter. In a statement here, he said the state government had declared 223 taluks among the total 236 as drought-hit, and there is a loss of standing crop in over 48.19 lakh hectare, as per study report from experts.
The small and marginal farmers are in dire straits, Surjewala said.
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"The state government in a memorandum to the Centre had sought to release Rs 18,177.44 crore relief funds, which included Rs 4,663.12 crore towards input subsidy, 12,577.86 crore for emergency relief and another Rs 363.68 crore to save cattle heads. However, the union government plays deaf to the state's memorandum," he alleged. Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Revenue Minister Krishna Byre Gowda had also met Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah and appealed for the release of central aid to Karnataka, Surjewala noted.
Deputy Chief minister DK Shivakumar had also met the Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and other senior officials of the Agriculture ministry and presented a memorandum, but still a ''mute response'' from the Centre, Surjewala said.
"Centre should also take steps to release other stalled grants," he said. He also alleged that MPs from Karnataka remain mute spectators on Centre's ''injustice'' to the State and criticised them for not responding to the plight of farmers, who are in great distress. "They are waiting for immediate relief from the Centre. There are 26 BJP and one BJP supported MPs in Karnataka, I failed to understand what they are doing in support of the distressed farmers and people of Karnataka,'' Surjewala said.
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New trains to ease crowding on Namma Metro Purple-Green lines in Bengaluru
Bengaluru: Commuters on the crowded Namma Metro Purple and Green lines may soon get relief, as the Railway Board has issued provisional sanction for induction of new train sets, Deccan Herald reported.
The Railway Board communicated the provisional sanction to the Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL) in a letter on April 1, raising hopes that additional trains could be deployed during peak hours by May-June.
According to the Railway Board, the approval comes with conditions, including a maximum speed of 80 kmph in fully inflated mode and 25 kmph in deflated mode of the secondary air spring.
The BMRCL will also need a separate sanction from the Commissioner of Metro Rail Safety (CMRS) by submitting the Independent Safety Assessment (ISA) report confirming the trains’ integration, operation, and compatibility with the Direct To Go (DTG) signalling and train control system for the Purple and Green lines.
The BMRCL has received three DTG trains, including a prototype delivered in January 2025, for the Purple and Green lines. The trains must pass 37 statutory clearances before entering passenger service.
The BMRCL had approached the Research Designs and Standards Organisation (RDSO), under the Ministry of Railways, to conduct statutory trials related to oscillation, braking, speed and system integration tests for the trains. The CMRS will issue the final sanction after receiving the ISA certificate.
Officials said the ISA certification process is already underway, with new signalling software currently being tested. Final approvals are expected by May-June, after which the trains can be introduced into service.
The new trains have been supplied by China's CRRC Nanjing Puzhen Co Ltd, which will deliver a total of 21 trains for the Purple and Green lines in partnership with the West Bengal-based Titagarh Rail Systems Ltd (TRSL). Currently, the network operates with 57 trains supplied by BEML.
