Bajrang Dal rowdy Bhuvith Shetty among two held for murder of Harish Poojary

Bengaluru, Nov 20: As his government completed six months in office on Monday, Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah said his administration has taken decisive steps to reduce corruption and initiated thorough investigations in various cases.

He said his government is committed to building a state that not only meets the immediate needs of its people, but also lays the foundation for a prosperous future.

In the elections to the 224-member Assembly held in May this year, the Congress ousted the BJP from power with a landslide victory. The Congress got 135 seats to BJP's 66.

"As the Chief Minister of Karnataka, it brings me immense pride to mark the completion of six months of our government's tenure. In this short span, we have been steadfast in our commitment to empower the people of Karnataka and craft a sustainable and progressive future for our state," Siddaramaiah said in a statement.

"Our governance model, the New Karnataka Model, is a testament to this commitment. It is a model that intertwines the welfare of people with holistic development. We have introduced pioneering guarantee schemes that have directly impacted lives," he added.

Noting that the Shakthi scheme, providing free bus travel for women, is not just a travel subsidy; it's an investment in women's empowerment and mobility, the Chief Minister said, similarly, the Gruha Jyothi (200 units of free power to all households) and Anna Bhagya (additional 5 kg of rice free to every member of a BPL household) schemes have lightened the financial burden of countless households, ensuring that basic needs like electricity and food are not a luxury but a right.

Moreover, the Gruha Lakshmi scheme (Rs 2,000 monthly assistance to the woman head of every family) has been a groundbreaking step in supporting women who head BPL families, ensuring they have the financial resources to lead their families with dignity, he said, adding that, the Yuva Nidhi scheme, (Rs 3,000 every month for graduate youth and Rs 1,500 for diploma holders) offering unemployment allowances, is a safety net for our youth, sustaining their dreams and ambitions during challenging times.

"Central to our governance is our unwavering stand against corruption. We have taken decisive steps to reduce corruption and initiated thorough investigations in various cases," Siddaramaiah further said. This commitment to transparency and accountability is reshaping the government's relationship with its people, fostering trust and confidence.

"As we step into the future, our focus remains steadfast on creating a Karnataka that is inclusive, progressive, and a beacon of development. We are committed to building a state that not only meets the immediate needs of its people but also lays the foundation for a prosperous future," he said.

"I thank the people of Karnataka for their unwavering faith in our vision and promise to continue working tirelessly to make Karnataka a model state in India," the CM added. 

The Kerala police have registered a case against cricketer S Sreesanth and two others based on a cheating complaint filed by a man in north Kerala’s Kannur district.

The complainant, hailing from Kannur’s Choonda, alleged that the accused, Rajiv Kumar and Venkatesh Kini, took Rs 18.70 lakh on various dates from April 25, 2019, by claiming that they would build a sports academy at Kollur in Udupi district of Karnataka, in which Sreesanth is a partner.

In his complaint, Sareesh Gopalan said he invested the money after being offered the opportunity to become a partner in the academy.

Sreesanth and the two others have been booked under IPC Section 420 (Cheating and dishonestly inducing delivery of property).

Sreesanth has been named as the third accused in the case. 
 

Bengaluru, Nov 27: IAS officer LK Atheeq has been appointed as the new Additional Chief Secretary to the Chief Minister of Karnataka with immediate effect. 

An order issued by the government stated that Atheeq, a 1991-batch officer will replac Dr Rajneesh Goel as Additional Chief Secretary. Dr Rajneesh Goel, 1986-batch officer, was earlier this month elevated as new Chief Secretary of the State.

Atheeq is also placed in concurrent charge of additional chief secretary to government, finance department. He had taken charge as the additional chief secretary of the finance department on June 30 earlier this year.