‘Modi govt paid Rs 100 crore to Israeli company NSO, the maker of notorious Pegasus’

News Network
July 23, 2021

New Delhi, July 23: The budget allocation for National Security Council Secretariat (NSCS) rose 10 times to Rs 333.58 crore in 2017-18 from the previous fiscal with activist-lawyer Prashant Bhushan on Friday claiming that it was the year in which Rs 100 crore was paid to Israeli company NSO which makes the controversial spyware Pegasus.

The NSCS advices the Prime Minister on key strategic and security issues and reports to the National Security Adviser.

Bhushan's remarks came as the country is rocked by the revelation of a leaked database, which claimed that Opposition leaders, journalists activists, law enforcement officials and Constitutional authorities among others were potential targets for surveillance using Pegasus.

"In 2016-17, NSA’s budget was Rs 33.17 crore. Next year the budget increased 10 times to Rs 333 crore because Rs 300 crore was added under new head 'cyber security R&D'. This is the year when NSO was paid Rs 100s of crore for cyber hacking of Opposition, journalists, judges, Election Commissioner, activists using Pegasus! Wow," Bhushan tweeted.

It appears that Bhushan is referring to NSCS as the NSA's budget comes under it.

The allocation for 2016-17 was Rs 33.17 crore, which was later revised to Rs 81.03 crore. However, the actual spending was Rs 39.09 crore.

The allocation rose to Rs 333.58 crore in the next fiscal which was further revised to Rs 168 crore. However, the actual expenditure was only Rs 61.18 crore.

In 2018-19 fiscal, which preceeded the April-May Lok Sabha elections, the NSCS budget allocationwas Rs 303.83 crore, which was revised to Rs 841.73 crore while the actual spending was Rs 812.32 crore. 

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coastaldigest.com news network
November 29,2025

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Mangaluru, Nov 29: Around 12,500 healthcare students from Medical, Dental, AYUSH, Pharmacy, Nursing, Physiotherapy and Allied Health Sciences colleges of Dakshina Kannada, affiliated to Rajiv Gandhi University of Health Sciences (RGUHS), took part in a massive walkathon to promote awareness on Organ Donation and Nasha Mukth Bharat.

The inaugural ceremony was held at Mangala Stadium. Dr Bhagavan B C, Hon’ble Vice-Chancellor of RGUHS, delivered the welcome address. The walkathon was flagged off by Shri U T Khader, Hon’ble Speaker of the Karnataka Legislative Assembly, and presided over by Shri Dinesh Gundu Rao, Hon’ble Minister for Health, Family Welfare and Dakshina Kannada District In-charge. Dakshina Kannada MP Shri Brijesh Chowta also addressed the students.

Music director Guru Kiran, MLA Dr Bharat Shetty (Mangalore North), Police Commissioner Shri Sudheer Kumar Reddy, Shri Manjunath Bhandary and Shri Harish Kumar were among those present.

Institution heads including Dr Haji U K Monu (Kanachur Colleges), Dr Shantharam Shetty (Tejaswini College), Dr Bhaskar Shetty (City Group of Colleges), Mr Abdul Rahiman (Kanachur Institute of Medical Sciences), and the District Health Officer, Mangalore, also participated.

The vote of thanks was delivered by Prof U T Ifthikar Fareed, Syndicate Member, RGUHS.

The event was organised by Dr U T Ifthikar Ali and Dr Shiva Sharan (Syndicate Members), Prof Vaishali (Senate Member), Prof Mohammad Suhail (Chairman, BOS Physiotherapy), Dr Sharan Shetty (Former Senate Member), along with principals and faculty of various colleges.

Students marched from Mangala Stadium to Karavali Grounds via MCC and Lalbagh signal. The event set a record as one of the largest gatherings of healthcare students for a social cause in the RGUHS Dakshina Kannada Zone.

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News Network
December 2,2025

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Bengaluru: 'Nati koli saaru' (country chicken curry) considered one of Chief Minister Siddaramaiah’s favourites along with steaming hot idlis was on the breakfast menu at Deputy CM D K Shivakumar’s residence on Tuesday, according to official sources.

The spread also included 'nati koli' fry, vada and pongal, among other items, they said.

In an apparent show of unity, Siddaramaiah visited Shivakumar’s residence for breakfast, just days after the two leaders shared a meal amid a simmering power tussle in the state Congress.

Siddaramaiah drove to the Deputy CM’s residence in Sadashivanagar, where he was received by Shivakumar and his brother D K Suresh, who is a former Congress MP.

Suresh and Kunigal MLA H D Ranganath, a relative of Shivakumar, joined them for breakfast, which featured a mix of vegetarian and non-vegetarian dishes.

Speaking to reporters later, Siddaramaiah said Shivakumar had invited him during his visit to the CM’s residence for breakfast on Saturday.

Asked about the difference between the two meals, the chief minister said, "At his (Shivakumar’s) house it was non-veg, while at my house it was veg. He is a vegetarian, I am a non-vegetarian. I had not prepared non-veg. I told DK to get chicken from the village as you won’t get the original in Bengaluru."

Shivakumar said he had initially invited Siddaramaiah to his residence, but the CM had suggested visiting his place first and reciprocating later. "It was a vegetarian breakfast at the CM’s house on Saturday," he noted.

"Today, I invited him (the CM) to my house. He enjoyed the breakfast, which had his Mysuru taste," Shivakumar added. At this point, Siddaramaiah remarked that Shivakumar’s wife is also from Mysuru.

Saturday’s breakfast at Siddaramaiah’s official residence, held as part of efforts by the Congress high command to ease tensions in the leadership dispute between the two, reportedly included idlis and sambar, according to official sources.

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