Siddu budget evokes mixed response in twin districts

[email protected] (News Network)
July 13, 2013
Mangalore/Udupi, Jul 13: Siddaramaiah's first budget as chief minister on Friday has evoked a mixed reaction in the coastal districts of Dakshina Kannada and Udupi.

siddu
According to Kanara Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI) president Mohammed Ameen overall it was a populist Budget. The Rs. 800 crore for industry and commerce is a very small part of the entire Budget, he noted. The focus is not on industry, and a lot of importance is given to agriculture, he added. The extra 0.5 per cent VAT still continues, which is “really bad”, because Karnataka cannot compete with other States.

The Small scale industries should have been treated on par with agriculture as it generates employment and contributes to the export sector, said BA Nazeer, president of the association.

He said the trade licence issue has not been resolved and urged the Government to completely abolish trade licence for small scale industries in the state which has been registered with more than 25 government departments.

The coastal region got bountiful in terms of plenty of budget sops to the fisheries sector including Rs 4 crore for the College of Fisheries. The 44-year-old College of Fisheries in Mangalore too is happy with the bounty. KM Shankar, dean of the college, said: "It is because of the performance and research activities that the college got noticed. The funds will help in improving the infrastructure, particularly buildings, and to develop a farmer training centre, museum and modern aquarium.

Vasudev Boloor, general secretary, Karnataka State Fishermen's Parishad, said: "It seems like the CM has really gone into our demands. We welcome raising the Matsyashraya scheme amount from Rs 60,000 to Rs.1.20 lakh and also tax-free diesel for mechanised motorboats from 1.3 lakh kilo litres to 1.5 lakh kilo litres.

Niren Jain from Kudremukh Wildlife Foundation, said: "We are not telling people should not get water. State should explore alternatives than jumping into this ecologically damaging Nethravathi diversion project first. The sad part is that this project as its comes under drinking water scheme, does not need even Environment Impact Assessment survey. What will be the result of diverting monsoon water on fisheries? Nobody has thought about it, he rued. The Mangalore University (MU), which has 19 Peethas (endowment chairs), has welcomed the decision to set up Ratnakaravarni Peetha at a cost of Rs 1 crore. Ratnakaravarni was a 16th century Kannada poet and writer. TC Shivashankara Murthy, vice-chancellor of MU, said: "The new Peetha will help students to learn about life and literary works of Ratnakaravarni. Soon university will prepare the objectives of this Peetha and submit it to the government."

Udupi Chamber of Commerce and Industry (UCCI) president Prasadraj Kanchan described the Budget “overall a balanced one”. The Chief Minister has approved a proposal of the UCCI to develop Hejmady fisheries harbor, he said.

“The challenge before Mr. Siddaramaiah is to recover Rs. 5,500 crore which is being spent on his Re. 1 kg per rice scheme,” he said.

Kudi Srinivas Bhat, general secretary of Udupi Zilla Krishik Sangha, said the decision to set up an Agricultural Prices Commission to rationalise prices of agricultural produce was a welcome step.

Surendranath Shetty, Assistant Professor, Department of Political Science, MGM College, said Mr. Siddaramaiah's had tried to woo the backwards classes, minority communities and Dalits (Ahinda) through the Budget ahead of the Lok Sabha polls.

Udaykumar Shetty, president of district unit of the BJP said that people expected something new from Mr. Siddaramaiah since he had presented seven Budgets. Deviprasad Shetty, President of district unit of Janata Dal (Secular) echoed a similar view and said the Budget did not have anything for the youth and rural development.

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News Network
December 5,2025

Mangaluru: In a significant step to curb online hate and intimidation, Mangaluru City Police have registered a suo motu case against multiple Instagram accounts accused of circulating alleged provocative and threatening content.

While monitoring social media activity on Tuesday, Kankanady Town PSI Anitha Nikkam identified the Instagram handle ‘team_targetttt_900’ for posting a hate message alongside images of lethal weapons. Another account, ‘team_nagara_900’, allegedly shared a threatening post targeting activist Bharath Kumdelu, tagging additional pages such as KARAVALI-OFFICIAL.

Several other accounts — including ‘immu_bhai.fan’, ‘target_boy_900’, ‘kings_of_manglore’, ‘team_target_boys.900’, ‘arshad_mangalore’, ‘target_ka19_ullal’, ‘team_target__’, ‘troll_tigersz_900’, ‘tr_group_900’, and ‘team_target_900’ — are also under scrutiny for spreading similar inflammatory material, police said.

Authorities have urged citizens, especially young social media users, to report suspicious pages and avoid engaging with groups that glorify violence or threaten individuals. Online hate can quickly escalate into real-world harm, and police stress that sharing or promoting such content can attract legal consequences.

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News Network
December 19,2025

Mangaluru: The Mangaluru CEN police have arrested a 23-year-old man for allegedly posting provocative and misleading content on an Instagram page named “mr_a_titude”, targeting the Bajpe police.

Mangaluru Commissioner of Police Sudheer Kumar Reddy C H identified the arrested as Abhishek M, a resident of Katipalla in Mangaluru.

A case has been registered at the Bajpe Police Station under Sections 353(1)(c), 353(2), 56, and 57 read with Section 189 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) in connection with the post.

According to police, the accused uploaded a photograph of a hotel on the Instagram page and alleged that accused persons in a murder case under the Bajpe police jurisdiction were being given “royal treatment” by the police, including being served beef meals daily from the hotel.

The post further accused the police of supporting criminals, misusing their authority, and betraying public trust. Police said the content was provocative in nature and aimed at inciting public outrage against the police.

Following the post, a case was registered at the Bajpe police station, and further investigation was transferred to the CEN police station.

Police records indicate that the accused has a criminal history, with multiple cases registered against him, including murder, attempt to murder, assault, and robbery at the Surathkal Police Station, and one case at the Kaup Police Station.

The Commissioner said the accused was traced and arrested using technical evidence.

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News Network
December 19,2025

Mangaluru: In a decisive move to tackle the city’s deteriorating sanitation infrastructure, the Mangaluru City Corporation (MCC) has announced a massive ₹1,200 crore action plan to overhaul its underground drainage (UGD) network.

The initiative, spearheaded by Deputy Commissioner and MCC Administrator Darshan HV, aims to bridge "missing links" in the current system that have left residents grappling with overflowing sewage and environmental hazards.

The Breaking Point

The announcement follows a high-intensity phone-in session on Thursday, where the DC was flooded with grievances from frustrated citizens. Residents, including Savithri from Yekkur, described a harrowing reality: raw sewage from apartments leaking into stormwater drains, creating a "permanent stink" and turning residential zones into mosquito breeding grounds.

"We are facing immense difficulties due to the stench and the health risks. Local officials have remained silent until now," one resident reported during the session.

The Strategy: A Six-Year Vision

DC Darshan HV confirmed that the proposed plan is not a temporary patch but a comprehensive six-year roadmap designed to accommodate Mangaluru’s projected population growth. Key highlights of the plan include:

•    Infrastructure Expansion: Laying additional pipelines to connect older neighborhoods to the main grid.

•    STP Crackdown: Stricter enforcement of Sewage Treatment Plant (STP) regulations. While new apartments are required to have functional STPs, many older buildings lack them entirely, and several newer units are reportedly non-functional.

•    Budgetary Push: The plan has already been discussed with the district in-charge minister and the Secretary of the Urban Development Department. It is slated for formal presentation in the upcoming state budget.

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