KARNATAKA

A day after chief minister Basavaraj Bommai presented his maiden budget, educationists and experts appreciated the decision to boost development in government schools. However, they feel more could have been done.

The CM had announced a Rs 31,980 crore outlay for Education, an increase from Rs 29,688 crore in 2021. Of this, Rs 500 crore has been allocated for Infrastructure Development in government schools across the state.

The government proposals to develop Bengaluru Public Schools and provide coaching for NEET in all taluks to help poor students. He, however, suggested state-level entrance exam for medical education as is done for engineering, and said the government should allow class 12 public exam results for admission to help students from rural areas and marginalised groups.

More than 31,000 farmers are still awaiting the benefits of the ‘s farm loan waiver scheme.

The highest number of such farmers are in Belagavi (3,676), followed by Vijayapura, Bagalkot, Tumakuru and Mandya.

These five districts together account for around 45% of all such farmers.On the other hand, the government said more than 17 lakh farmers have benefited from the scheme that has so far cost the exchequer nearly Rs 8,000 crore.Data from the state co-operation department shows that overall, the government had identified more than 17.4 lakh farmers across districts who were together scheduled to get loan waivers to the tune of Rs 8,155 crore.

Of these, more than 17 lakh farmers’ loans worth Rs 7,987.5 crore have already been waived.

Since the start of 2017-18 till the beginning of the current fiscal year, more than 4.5 lakh people have applied for ration cards inKarnataka. Although officials have cleared nearly 60% of these applications 2.7 lakh none has been issued yet, infuriating applicants. The delay in issuance of a ration card has only added to the already long list of problems of the underprivileged.

The department of food and civil supplies was to begin issuance of ration cards to applicants, the credentials of whom had been examined and verified, in August 2021. But the second wave of the pandemic delayed the process.

Wipro Consumer Care and Lighting, a part of Wipro Enterprises, on Monday announced the acquisition of Nirapara, a Kerala-based packaged rice powder and spice mixes brand.

The move comes a few months after Wipro announced its plans to foray into the packaged foods business. Nirapara was launched in 1976 and is owned by KKR Group of Companies. It is best known for its blended spices and ready-to-cook rice powder products. It has an annualised revenue of Rs 100 crore.

About 63% of its revenue comes from Kerala, while the bulk of the rest comes from GCC countries that have a strong diaspora Population from Kerala, said Wipro Consumer Care CEO Vineet Agrawal. Nirapara is our 13th acquisition and gives us a clear foothold in the spices and ready-to-cook segment, he added.

The final deal price will be determined after 12 months and will be based partially on the performance of Niraparas products during that period. Wipro Consumer Care is best known for its soap brand Santoor and Yardley talcum powder and recorded a revenue of Rs 8,630 crore in the last financial year.

Barely 24 hours after the suggested thatnon-Karnatakastudents cannot be compelled to learnKannadaor any other language, chief minister BasavarajBommai, with passion that could easily have been taken for defiance, said his government will continue to fight to make the language a compulsory subject, not just in primary and secondary schools, but at the degree level as well.

Three days later, Bommai, in his state formation day speech on November 1, pledged that he is committed to establishing the supremacy of Kannada in Karnataka, and promised to reserve 75% of jobs for Kannadigas in both government and private sectors.

In line with the Centres policy, Karnataka has also taken steps to introduce Kannada medium of instruction in professional colleges. Approval has been granted to four engineering colleges Bheemanna Khandre Institute of Technology (Bhalki), SGC Institute of Technology (Chikkaballapur), Maharaja Institute of Technology (Mysuru) and BLDEB Institute of Technology (Vijayapura) to teach students from civil and mechanical streams in Kannada.

Tele-MANAS, a programme that provides 24/7 counselling and mentalhealthservices, was launched by governor Thaawarchand Gehlot at the 26th convocation of National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences (Nimhans).

Tele-MANAS Services will begin in 20 states, includingKarnataka, and eventually be expanded to others. Toll-free helplines 14416 or 1-800-891-4416 have been set up with the provision for callers to select a language of their choice for availing services. The platform connects patients, mental health professionals and mental health institutions.

The national tele-mental health programme (Tele Mental Health Assistance and Networking Across States, or Tele-MANAS) includes a Network of cells, mental health centres of excellence, and regional coordination centres. In all, 51 Tele-MANAS cells will provide basic support, counselling and mental health services, as well as links with mental health professionals, eSanjeevani, Ayushman Bharat Health and Wellness Centres, and emergency psychiatric facilities.

Nimhans will serve as the apex nodal coordinating centre, while International Institute of Information Technology, Bengaluru (IIIT-B) will provide technological support.

Chief minister Basavaraj Bommai, said there is a need for developing technical skills in children with at least some high schools becoming technical high schools.

He also urged minister department of electronics, IT, BT and S&T to upgrade Atal Bihari Vajpayee Tinkering labs even in small capsules to create at the school level.

IT, BT, Science and Technology and higher Education minister C N Ashwath Narayan said that the government would set up a Centre of Excellence (CoE) for Artificial Intelligence and Data Engineering inHubballi soon as an Industry-institute initiative.

The minister said that setting up of CoE is part of the Karnataka Digital economy Mission. He promised that a park would be developed at Hubballi to facilitate graduating startups to grow further.

The government has brought effective policies to promote innovative technologies and the duration of internship has been raised from 3 weeks to 30 weeks. Students will also be given the opportunity to undergo internship abroad.

Coffee growing countries, India, Brazil, and South Africa, should collaborate to combat common challenges they face such as global price volatility, high cost of production, and labour shortage, suggested International Coffee Organisation (ICO).

India produced over 3,20,000 tonnes of green coffee in the last harvest season that ended in March 2021. Karnataka alone accounts for over 70% of the countrys total coffee production, with Kodagu, Chikkamagaluru, and Hassan districts being the States coffee heartlands.

Coffee production had increased 34% in that country in the last two decades although the area under production had only reduced. Indian coffee community had to adopt cost-effective growing techniques and yield enhancing practices from Brazil.