Here are the big stories from Karnataka today
The Hindu
Karnataka Today newsletter: Bengaluru gets new Police Commissioner, and more
Karnataka government posted B. Dayananda as the Bengaluru police commissioner on May 30, replacing C.H. Pratap Reddy. Mr. Dayananda was previously heading the State intelligence bureau.
A 1994 batch officer with a bachelor’s degree in public administration, Mr. Dayananda is known as a tech-savvy officer. He started the first police blog in 2005, and was instrumental in setting up an exclusive forensic lab in Karnataka to investigate cybercrime.
Meanwhile, M.A. Saleem — who was brought in by the previous government as Special Commissioner of Police (Traffic) to tackle the burgeoning traffic in the city — has been posted as DGP (CID), Special Units and Economic Offences, Bengaluru.
With portfolio allocations done, all government departments got down to work today with review meetings. First among them was Minister for Transport Ramalinga Reddy’s meeting with officials of the four State-run road transport corporations (RTCs) — BMTC, KSRTC, NWKRTC and KKRTC.
It has been decided in the meeting that the free travel for women in ordinary buses — one of Congress’ poll guarantees — would be implemented after the Cabinet meeting on June 1. When asked about any conditions to the scheme, Mr. Reddy said, “All will be decided in the Cabinet meeting.”
The Opposition, on the other hand, has continued its attack on the Congress, urging CM Siddaramaiah to break his silence on implementation of all poll guarantees. JD(S) leader H.D. Kumaraswamy has demanded that the government issue a media advertisement from June 1 as part of confidence-building measures.
Former chief minister Basavaraj Bommai has taken serious exception to indications about reversing the textbook revision exercise taken up under his regime. On May 29, over 40 writers had demanded that CM Siddaramaiah withdraw the “anti-constitutional and communal” school textbooks which were revised by the Rohith Chakrateertha-led committee.
With increased terminal entry points (eGates) at Mumbai International airport from 24 to 68, which is the highest number of e-gates at kerbside or landside in the country, the expansion will enhance the airport’s processing capacity to an astounding 7,440 passengers per hour at Terminal 2 (T2) and 2,160 at T1