Centre slammed for delaying fund release for flood-hit Karnataka

Agencies

October 4, 2019

New Delhi, Oct 4: Senior Congress leader and former Karnataka minister H K Patil on Friday accused the Modi government of delaying the release of funds for the flood-hit state and asked the Centre to act swiftly to protect lives of the affected people.

There has been a delay in sanctioning the funds as the ruling BJP government in the state had submitted a proposal apparently with some discrepancies, he said, adding the state has been asked to resend the correct proposal.

Accusing the BJP government both at the Centre and the state for not releasing the relief funds, Patil said the B S Yediyurappa-led government "cannot sit quiet saying it does not have the funds for relief work."

"If there is no fund, take loan and fulfil your commitment towards the people. Otherwise, step down...," he told reporters.

The situation is bad in the state as damage is estimated to be around Rs 2 lakh crore. Around 1,000 villages have to be rebuilt and one lakh acres of farm land has been affected, he said.

Patil further said, "It is a natural disaster. In this grave situation, the Centre's behaviour towards Karnataka is unacceptable. You are ready to give relief to Russia. You are ready to give relief to other states, why not to our state?"

The Centre should first release the funds and cross check later the estimate of damage submitted by the state, he said.

He also mentioned that Home Minister Amit Shah and Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman had visited the flood-hit areas and had given assurances but nothing has been fulfilled yet.

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Major facelift for Mangaluru's sporting heart: Mangala Stadium set for 2-month closure to upgrade synthetic track

News Network

December 15,2025

Mangaluru, Dec 15: Educational institutions in Mangaluru that rely on the popular Mangala Stadium for their annual sports events are bracing for an inconvenience as the city's key sporting venue is set to close its gates for a significant upgrade. The stadium is expected to be unavailable for approximately two months starting from January 15, 2026.

The closure is necessitated by a proposed overhaul of the stadium's facilities, with a special focus on upgrading the synthetic track. Pradeep Dsouza, Assistant Director of the District of Youth Empowerment and Sports (DYES), Dakshina Kannada, confirmed the development.

"Experts have visited the stadium, conducted a thorough inspection, and have given the go-ahead for a complete makeover," Dsouza stated. "Funds have been allocated for the project, and we are currently awaiting the final green signal from state officials to commence the work. We anticipate that the work will likely begin in the second week of January. Consequently, we have stopped renting out the stadium to colleges and other organizations in preparation for the upgrade."

The timing presents a logistical challenge for colleges, as many schools have already concluded their sports meets.

"Colleges will now be organizing their events and will need to find alternative locations to host their sports meets," Dsouza added. He suggested a few potential venues, including the Dakshina Kannada police ground, University College grounds, Panambur grounds, Swaraj Maidan in Moodbidri, and the Mangalore University sports grounds in Konaje.

However, many institutions note that finding a comparable venue will be difficult. While the DK police ground and University College grounds are closer to the city center, they do not possess the extensive facilities and infrastructure offered by Mangala Stadium.

Dr. P Dayananda Pai - P Satisha Govt First Grade College, Carstreet, is one such institution dependent on the stadium. Principal Jayakar Bhandary expressed hope for a swift completion of the work. "We expect the work to be completed at the earliest. If not, we will be forced to look for other venues to host the sports day for our students," Bhandary said, highlighting the pressing need for the city's main sporting facility.

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