Three-time ministers in Karnataka asked to voluntarily resign and devote time for BJP

News Network

December 29, 2021

Hubballi, Dec 29: The Political Secretary to Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai, M P Renukacharya, on Wednesday asked three-time Ministers to voluntarily resign and devote time for the party.

"Many BJP MLAs are desirous of a Gujarat-like cabinet revamp in the state... In this backdrop, I request three-time Ministers (2004, 2008, 2018) to voluntarily resign and devote time to the 'sanghatan' (organization) in the run-up to the election. This will give an opportunity for new faces to become Ministers and will boost the charisma of the party and the government," he told reporters here.

The issue has been discussed by MLAs and they are planning to meet senior party leaders, including the party President and Chief Minister, to push for induction of new Ministers, Renukacharya said.

There, however, is no scope for the replacement of Basavaraj Bommai as Chief Minister, he said. "Bommai will continue as the Chief Minister."

On Tuesday, former Union Minister and senior BJP leader Basanagouda Patil Yatnal told reporters that a cabinet revamp was imminent and strict action will be taken against those who make public statements on Bommai's replacement as Chief Minister.

Replying to a query, Yatnal said the central leadership including Prime Minister Narendra Modi is in the know-how of Karnataka BJP leaders speaking about Bommai's replacement.

"The central leadership is aware of the developments. Because, there are people who send paper cuttings and video clips to them. The central leadership including Narendra Modi are keeping an eye on those who talk about change of guard. This was told by Pralhad Joshi (Union Minister)," he said.

He said if any leader speaks about Bommai's replacement, strict action will be taken.

Yatnal also said that BJP General Secretary Arun Singh and Joshi announced that Bommai will remain the Chief Minister till the next election.

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RuTAGe smart village centres in DK, Udupi to being technology closer to rural communities

News Network

January 20,2026

Mangaluru: In a major step towards strengthening rural innovation, the Office of the Principal Scientific Adviser (PSA) to the Government of India is supporting the establishment of RuTAGe Smart Village Centres (RSVCs) across the country through collaborations with academic institutions, civil society organisations and philanthropic partners.

As part of this national initiative, Nitte (Deemed to be University) will set up the first RSVCs in the region at Nitte GP in Udupi district and at the Nitte Health Centre, Sevanjali Trust, Farangipete, in Dakshina Kannada district. The centres will be inaugurated on January 21. In South India, the programme is being implemented by the Section Infin-8 Foundation (SI-8).

Speaking to reporters on Monday, SI-8 founder-director Vishwas US said experts from Nitte University and SI-8 would work closely with farmers, students, youth and local entrepreneurs to adapt and deploy technologies tailored to local needs.

Project head Prof Iddya Karunasagar, representing Nitte DU, said the RSVCs at Nitte and Farangipete would serve as demonstration hubs for a wide range of agriculture, energy, skill-development and assistive technologies. These include solar dryers for fruits, vegetables and crops; soil-testing solutions; power weeders and women-friendly farm tools; wind-powered devices for rural artisans; grain storage systems; grass-cutting and tree-climbing equipment; and liquid fertiliser production using cowshed waste.

SI-8 CEO Aravind C Kumar said the centres would also provide access to digital and knowledge-based platforms such as ISRO applications, government scheme portals, market linkage tools and gamified learning resources, along with assistive technologies for persons with visual impairments.

Highlighting the broader impact of the initiative, Principal Scientific Adviser Prof Ajay Kumar Sood said it demonstrated how applied research could bridge the rural–urban divide and help create self-reliant, technology-enabled villages.

The initiative has been made possible through philanthropic support from Dr NC Murthy of ACM Business Solutions, LLC, USA. Dr Sapna Poti, Director (Strategic Alliances) at the Office of the Principal Scientific Adviser, said the long-term objective is to build self-sufficient, technology-driven communities capable of generating sustainable livelihoods on their own.

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