Here are the big stories from Karnataka today
The Hindu
Karnataka Today newsletter: Five guarantees to boost economic growth in short run, and more
It is expected that the five guarantee schemes of the present Karnataka government would not only lead to distributive justice but also boost the economic growth of the State in the short run by increasing consumption, according to the Mid Year Review of State finances 2023-24 that was tabled in the Assembly on December 14.
However, with necessary structural reforms and enhanced Ease of Doing Business coupled with higher capital expenditure, the State is expected to maintain a high growth trajectory in the long run. The guarantee schemes will have a multiplier effect on local economy, while the free bus travel scheme is expected to improve participation of women in the labour force, the review says.
The Karnataka government on December 14, announced a series of measures to put an end to female foeticide, including amending the legislation concerned to make it more effective, formulating a new policy and setting up a State-level task force.
Health Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao said the above measures would be in addition to the CID probe that has already been ordered. He said District Health Officers (DHOs) have also been told to take up decoy operations once in three months to identify hospitals involved in carrying out female foeticide.
The Karnataka Assembly adopted three Bills, including the Karnataka Prohibition of Violence Against Advocates Bill, that seeks to prohibit violence against advocates besides providing protection to them.
The Bill, piloted by Law Minister H.K. Patil, defines violence against advocates and also prescribes punishment with imprisonment for a term which may extend from six months to three years, or with a fine which may extend to ₹1 lakh or both.
The High Court of Karnataka has directed conducting pregnancy test on every victim of rape and sexual offences under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, 2012, along with other mandatory medical examinations after registration of a First Information Report (FIR) on the alleged offences.
Delhi engulfed in thick smog with 'very poor' air quality index, reaching 410 in some areas.
National Green Tribunal orders Forest Survey of India to report on alleged loss of tree cover in India.
S. Hussain Zaidi's espionage novel, The Black Orphan, blends Bollywood action with espionage tropes, but falls short in execution.
Hampi, the UNESCO-recognised historical site, was the capital of the Vijayanagara empire from 1336 to 1565. Foreign travellers from Persia, Europe and other parts of the world have chronicled the wealth of the place and the unique cultural mores of this kingdom built on the banks of the Tungabhadra river. There are fine descriptions to be found of its temples, farms, markets and trading links, remnants of which one can see in the ruins now. The Literature, architecture of this era continue inspire awe.
Unfurling the zine handed to us at the start of the walk, we use brightly-coloured markers to draw squiggly cables across the page, starting from a sepia-toned vintage photograph of the telegraph office. Iz, who goes by the pronouns they/them, explains, “This building is still standing, though it shut down in 2013,” they say, pointing out that telegraphy, which started in Bengaluru in 1854, was an instrument of colonial power and control. “The British colonised lands via telegraph cables, something known as the All Red Line.”
Manu S. Pillai takes readers across four tumultuous centuries of colonial India in his new book Gods, Guns and Missionaries. Religious competition and conflict impacted the way Hinduism and the Hindu identity are defined today, says the author
Delhi's air pollution crisis explained: AQI, PM2.5 dominance, sources, health impacts, and ineffective government responses.
Honoring Raj Kapoor as a cultural ambassador, this article explores the enduring impact of Indian cinema in China.
The festival in Bengaluru is happening at various locations, including ATREE in Jakkur, Bangalore Creative Circus in Yeshwantpur, Courtyard Koota in Kengeri, and Medai the Stage in Koramangala. The festival will also take place in various cities across Karnataka including Tumakuru, Ramanagara, Mandya, Kolar, Chikkaballapura, Hassan, Chitradurga, Davangere, Chamarajanagar and Mysuru.
Delhi Police Crime Branch busts international drug cartel, recovers MDMA worth ₹4 crore, arrests two suspects, traces suppliers in Delhi-NCR.
Viksit Bharat Young Leaders Dialogue empowers Indian youth through national and international discourse, quizzes, and meeting with PM Modi.