Karnataka Budget: No hike in taxes; 438 ‘Namma Clinics’ proposed in major cities

News Network

March 4, 2022

Bengaluru, Mar 4: Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai has proposed no hike in taxes in the Budget 2022-23 presented by him in the state Legislative Assembly on Friday.

In his maiden budget, the Chief Minister, who also holds the Finance portfolio, has expressed his government's commitment for the implementation of the Mekedatu project across river Cauvery, to which neighbouring Tamil Nadu is opposed to, and has provided Rs 1,000 crore for it this year.

With just a year left for the Assembly polls in the state, this is most likely to be the last full-fledged budget ahead of the elections. "The economy in 2021-21 is on the road to recovery. In these circumstances, I am not willing to put extra burden of additional taxes on the common man," Bommai said.

Presenting the Budget in the legislative assembly, he said, tax collection targets will be achieved by ensuring all the tax departments to perform better. The Chief Minister also said that he is not increasing petrol and diesel rates.

"Realising the difficulties caused by the second and third wave of Covid-19 pandemic in 2021-22, sales tax on petrol and diesel was reduced in November 2021. Because of which the petrol and diesel rates had come down by Rs 7 per litre," he noted.

Compared to other south Indian states, the rates of petrol and diesel are less in Karnataka, he said, adding that "I am not intending to increase the rates in 2022-23." Stating that the Mekedatu Balancing Reservoir and Bengaluru Drinking Water Project will be implemented by getting required clearances from the appropriate authority of central government, Bommai said, for implementation of the project, a grant of Rs 1,000 crore will be provided in the current year.

Pointing out that his government has given more importance for preservation of cattle resources and has implemented the Karnataka Prevention of Slaughter and Preservation of Cattle Act, the Chief Minister said, for the effective implementation of the Act, the number of 'Goshalas' will be increased from the present 31 to 100 and Rs 50 crore will be provided for the purpose.

Also for the first time in the state, the government will launch 'Punyakoti Dattu Yojane' to encourage public and private institutions to adopt cows in the Goshalas by paying Rs 11,000 annually. To encourage the use of farm machinery and to reduce fuel expenditure for the first time in the state, diesel subsidy at Rs 250 per acre subject to maximum for 5 acres will be given through DBT under a new scheme "Raitha Shakti" for which Rs 500 crore has been provided in the Budget.

An amount of Rs 500 crore has been provided in the Budget for the development of infrastructure in the government schools of the state, and priority will be given for selected inspirational taluks under this grant. The Budget also proposes to establish 438 "Namma Clinics" in major cities of the state, also they will be established in all wards of Bengaluru.

In these clinics, the services of detection of non-communicable diseases and referral for higher treatment to specialists will be provided. To enable establishment of enterprises, entrepreneurship training will be provided in the prestigious IIM Bengaluru to 300 women graduates of SC/ST.

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UN condemns Israeli regime’s ‘organized torture’ against Palestinians

News Network

November 30,2025

The United Nations Committee against Torture (CAT) has condemned the Israeli regime for enforcing a policy of “organized torture” against Palestinians.

In a report published on Friday, CAT stated that the occupying regime enforces a deliberate policy of “organized and widespread torture and ill-treatment” against Palestinian abductees, particularly since October 7, 2023, when Israel launched its genocidal war on Gaza.

The committee expressed “deep concern over repeated severe beatings, dog attacks, electrocution, water-boarding, use of prolonged stress positions [and] sexual violence” inflicted on Palestinians.

Palestinian prisoners were degraded by “being made to act like animals or being urinated on,” systematically denied medical care, and subjected to excessive restraints, “in some cases resulting in amputation,” the report added.

CAT also condemned the routine application of “unlawful combatants law” to justify the prolonged detention without trial of thousands of Palestinian men, women, and children.

More than 10,000 Palestinians, including women and children, are currently held in Israeli prisons, according to Palestinian and international human rights groups, with 3,474 Palestinians in “administrative detention,” meaning they are imprisoned without trial for indefinite periods.

The report highlighted the “high proportion of children who are currently detained without charge or on remand,” noting that while Israel sets the age of criminal responsibility at 12, even younger children have been abducted.

Children designated as security prisoners face severe restrictions on family contact, may be subjected to solitary confinement, and are denied access to education, in clear violation of international law.

The committee further suggested that Israel’s policies across the Occupied Territories constitute collective torture against the Palestinian population.

“A range of policies adopted by Israel in the course of its continued unlawful presence in the Occupied Palestinian Territory amounts to cruel, inhuman or degrading living conditions for the Palestinian population,” the report said.

On Thursday, the Palestinian resistance movement Hamas condemned the systematic killing and torture of Palestinian abductees in Israeli prisons, urging international action to halt these abuses.

Citing human rights data, Hamas stated that 94 Palestinians have been killed in Israeli prisons since the start of Tel Aviv’s genocidal war on Gaza.

“This reflects an organized criminal approach that has turned these prisons into direct killing grounds to eliminate our people,” the resistance movement said.

Hamas called on the international community, the UN, and human rights organizations to immediately pressure Israel to end crimes against prisoners and uphold their rights as guaranteed by all international conventions and norms.

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