KARNATAKA

The Karnataka Research Development and Innovation Policy was released during the inaugural session of the Bengaluru Tech Summit (BTS 22).

The Karnataka Research Development and Innovation Policy aims ensure cooperation between and science as well as innovative startups.

It seeks to ease collaboration between the skilled workforce, grassroots innovators, researching enterprises, and university-based cutting-edge research institutes.

The policy proposes the setting up of the Karnataka State Research Foundation to devise and implement the strategies for the implementation of the policys objectives.

It directs the government entities to earmark budget for research and innovation activities.

The policy proposes the launch of the Karnataka Technology Innovation and Entrepreneurship (K-TIE) an incubation programme that will strengthen the entrepreneurship ecosystem outside Bengaluru. This programme will provide incentives to establish companies outside the capital city.

Bangalore Electricity Supply Company(Bescom) has installed solar panels on the rooftops of 147 government buildings, including schools, bus depots and courts. However, it has fallen short in achieving the stipulated target.

The state-run power agency set up solar panels in 73 locations across the state, enabling government institutions to run on sustainable power and save . A total of Rs 60 crore has been spent on the Solar Rooftop Photovoltaic Project.
The project was conceptualised in 2015 under an initiative of the 13th Finance Commission and Rs 63 crore was set aside for it. The target set for installation was 10.2MW, but the authorities only managed to set up solar panels of 8.4MW capacity. Furthermore, only 5.4MW is being generated. Bescom sources said they have been unable to meet the target because of lack of interest from government agencies.

The project was tendered in 2019, awarded in 2020, and executed in one year. Various government bodies were asked to apply to get solar panels commissioned, after which Bescom through an outsourced agency carried out a feasibility study of the rooftops of the buildings for selection.

The Karnataka government has notified the Karnataka Police (Amendment) Act, 2021, banning all formats of online games involving wagering, betting and gambling of all nature and forms in the state.

Under the amended act, online gaming is considered a non-bailable offence with fines up to Rs 1 lakh and imprisonment of up to 3 years.

Under the amended act, online gaming is considered a non-bailable offence with fines up to Rs 1 lakh and imprisonment of up to 3 years.

Chief minister Basavaraj Bommai requested the Centre to grant Rs 4,300 crore for implementation of theKarnataka Optical Fibre Network(KOFN), which aims to provide high-speed Internet connectivity in all government offices, including panchayat ones.

In a memorandum, Bommai said that because of BharatNets limited reach and telecom companies poor presence at the panchayat level, the had been unable to fulfil the connectivity requirements of 25,000 government offices and institutions.

From heritage conservation to pushing for projects to boost investments, Mysuru district is expecting a lot from the record 14thbudgetof CM Siddaramaiah, who is a native of Mysuru.
Stakeholders from various walks of life are expecting various new interventions, announcements for the overall development of the district.

Hosur Kumar, president of Mysuru district unit of theKarnatakaRajya Raitha Sangha (KRRS), said he is expecting announcements in Fridays budget with regard to support price for various farm products, including tobacco, procurement of paddy, finger millet and other grains on time besides timely payment of Money to the growers, modern markets for ginger and Cotton, two major commercial crops of the district. The government should announce a comprehensive policy on farm procurement, and market interventions in this budget as a confidence- building measure among the farmers, he said.

According to the department of public instruction, there are around 1,387 tonnes of E-Waste lying in 5,000 schools. The department of state Education research and training has decided to call tenders for disposing of this waste. The highest bidder will get the waste which are mostly desktops, projectors and lead acid batteries.

Since the department introduced computer education in 2000-01, many of its schools were equipped with computers, thin clients, UPS systems with lead acid batteries, projectors, printers/multi function devices, modems, etc for technology assisted Learning.

The Karnataka Cabinet on Thursday approved a scheme to provide special incentives for Oxygen manufacturing and associated enterprises in the State.

Pointing out that the state had faced a shortage of oxygen due to Covid-19, Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Basavaraj Bommai said there were 9 oxygen manufacturing units/factories in the state and six oxygen suppliers.

“The manufacturing capacity is 815 MT and storage capacity is 5,780 MT.To increase the capacity, if any entrepreneurs come forward, we will give them incentives,” he told reporters after the cabinet meeting.

The incentives include capital subsidy of 25 per cent of the value of fixed assets subjected to minimum of Rs 10 crore, 100 per cent exemption from electricity duty for three years after commencement of commercial production, additional power tariff subsidy of Rs 1,000 per metric tonne on supply to the government.

There will also be 100 per cent stamp duty exemption and reimbursement from loan and land documents, concessional registration charges, 100 per cent reimbursement of land conversion fees, he added.

KarnatakaCMSiddaramaiahsaid that his government will accept the report of the 2015 socio-economic survey, popularly known as caste census. The CM said on the basis of the report, the government will extend facilities to different communities.

The move is bound to give impetus to the demand for a caste-based census made by parties like JD(U), RJD, SP,DMK,NCPandBJDfrom time to time.

The governments decision to accept the report commissioned in 2015 by Siddaramaiah during his previous stint as CM is likely to create a flutter in the State Politics as the findings could be a challenge to the hegemony of castes like Lingayats and Vokkaligas that have so far enjoyed political preferences due to their perceived bigger share in the states Population.

The caste census data for Karnataka, the first such survey conducted by any state after 1935, has been gathering dust since 2018. Successive governments have refused to accept the report and reveal its findings on the pretext that it was not signed and validated by the then member secretary of the commission. However, according to political observers, the real reason is the strong opposition from Lingayats and Vokkaligas.
Contrary to popular belief, leaked excerpts of the key findings of the report just before the 2018 revealed SCs constitute the largest community with 19% representation in the states population, followed by Muslims at 16%. According to the 2011 census, SCs comprised 16% and Muslims 13% of the states population.

The leaked excerpts pegged Lingayats at 14% of the population and Vokkaligas at 11% way lower than what is commonly perceived. While Lingayats claim they form 20%, Vokkaligas say they constitute 17%.

With Karnataka generating surplus power from its Plants, the government is planning to enter a long-term agreement with power deficit States to sell power.

The State has hydro and thermal power plants having generating capacity of 30,562.56 MW. The States Average generation is about 8,750 MW these days.

About 18% of the total power generation has been consumed by the Industrial Sector and the Chief Minister told the Energy Department officials to take measures for ensuring uninterrupted power supply to industries.

Stressing the need for better urban connectivity, Union finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Thursday assured citizens that she would convey their concerns on the issue to the urban development ministry in order to speed up work on keyinfrastructure projects.

Sitharaman took part in an interaction with resident welfare associations, chartered accountants and entrepreneurs at an event held by theKarnatakaunit ofBJP. Responding to citizens concerns over Bengalurus traffic woes, the minister said the Centre had built expressways between Bengaluru and Mysuru, funded the citys Metro projects, approved the RAILWAY Network and provided assistance in building flyovers.