Karnataka set to make Aadhaar a must

DHNS
November 19, 2017

Belagavi, Nov 19: Karnataka is quietly building a technology backend to deliver services through Aadhaar and is in the process of framing a law to make the 12-digit unique number compulsory. 

The government’s e-governance wing, a portfolio Chief Minister Siddaramaiah handles, is moving to issue certificates and documents virtually through DigiLocker, the Centre’s flagship Aadhaar-based platform for storage, sharing and verification of documents. 

The government is also working on introducing e-sign, an Aadhaar-based electronic signature that will negate the need for citizens to physically sign documents. 

For starters, services of the Revenue department such as caste and income certificates, and the ration card by the Food and Civil Supplies department, will be issued to citizens’ DigiLocker accounts. A pilot project will be launched soon. 

DigiLocker, according to Aadhaar architect Nandan Nilekani, is a key part of the India Stack: presence less, paperless, cashless and consent-driven governance. With documents stored in a cloud, service providers can pull them from DigiLocker with citizens' consent, making physical copies unnecessary. 

"Right now, we issue administrative orders on Aadhaar. But, without a legal framework, these orders can be challenged. We are enacting a legislation and a draft has been prepared. This will enable departments to make Aadhaar compulsory," Additional Chief Secretary (e-governance) Rajeev Chawla said. "The draft will be placed before the Cabinet shortly."

The draft is modelled after the ones enacted in Maharashtra, Gujarat and Haryana. It has been vetted by a committee headed by Law Minister TB Jayachandra. 

While 6.18 crore citizens have Aadhaar in Karnataka, only 1.41 lakh have DigiLocker accounts. States such as Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh and Kerala have adopted DigiLocker. 

The e-sign facility will be a game-changer, Chawla said. "Citizens are forced to visit government departments because they need to sign on forms. With e-sign, a farmer, for instance, can visit a citizen service centre (where he can apply for a service online), authenticate himself with his fingerprint and digitally sign the document."

While every e-sign costs Rs 5, the government plans to bear the cost initially without burdening the public. "No state has made use of e-sign. We have worked things out with the Centre for Development of Advanced Computing (C-DAC) to roll out the e-sign facility," Chawla said. 

At present, Aadhaar is being chiefly used by the Food and Civil Supplies department for the public distribution system, the Education Department for a Student Achievement Tracking System and the Revenue department for Parihara, a direct benefit transfer scheme for farmers. 

"The ecosystem will build on its own once we are able to show people value through DigiLocker and e-sign facilities," Chawla said.

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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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News Network
November 30,2025

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Mangaluru, Nov 30: A 22-year-old college student succumbed to her injuries at a private hospital in Mangaluru today, days after she was hit by a goods tempo while crossing a road in Padubidri.

The deceased has been identified as Preksha, a resident of Nadsalu Billitota in Padubidri. The fatal incident occurred as Preksha, who was returning home after completing her examination, attempted to cross the service road towards Mangaluru. She was struck by a goods tempo approaching from the Udupi side, causing her to fall and sustain a severe head injury.

Prompt action from local residents ensured she received immediate first aid before being rushed to a hospital in Mangaluru for specialised treatment. Despite medical efforts, she passed away while undergoing care.

Preksha was a student at Karavali College, Vamanjoor on the outskirts of Mangaluru city. The tragedy is compounded by the fact that she belonged to a financially vulnerable family, having previously lost her father. She is survived by her mother and brother.

A case related to the accident has been registered at the Padubidri police station, and an investigation is underway to determine the exact circumstances that led to the collision. The incident highlights the growing concerns over road safety, particularly on busy service roads, and serves as a tragic reminder of the human cost of traffic accidents.

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News Network
December 2,2025

Mangaluru, Dec 2: Mangaluru International Airport responded to a medical emergency late on Monday night. Air India Express flight IX 522, travelling from Riyadh to Thiruvananthapuram, was diverted to Mangaluru Airport after a passenger in his late 30s experienced a medical emergency on board.

The Airport’s Operations Control Centre received an alert regarding the passenger’s health condition. The airport activated its emergency response protocol, mobilising the airport medical team and coordinating with stakeholders including CISF, immigration, and customs. 

Upon landing, airport medical personnel attended to the passenger, assessed his condition, and arranged to shift him to a local tertiary-care hospital for further treatment. The passenger’s relatives accompanied the passenger, who incidentally received necessary medical care on board, which helped stabilise the situation.

Following the handling of the emergency, the flight departed for Thiruvananthapuram at 2:05 am on Tuesday.

"We appreciate the cooperation of all parties involved, and this incident reaffirms our ongoing commitment to prioritising passenger safety and readiness to respond to unforeseen emergencies with professionalism and care," the Airport spokesperson said. 

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