Here are the big stories from Karnataka today

Karnataka Today newsletter: State govt defers order on closure of unauthorised schools, and more

The Karnataka government on August 11, did a U-turn a day after it ordered the closure of unauthorised private schools by August 14. Minister for the Department of School Education and Literacy Madhu Bangarappa said the order had been deferred in the interest of students and action would be initiated in a phased manner.

Earlier, the department had identified 1,316 unauthorised schools in the State. Among these, the department listed 63 as running without State or central board affiliation and around 620 schools as having additional sections without permission.

Not-for-profit organisations (NGOs) working under the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) may come under the scanner of the special investigation team (SIT) constituted by the Karnataka government to probe projects sanctioned by the previous BJP government.

As of now, it appears that the SIT will, among other things, focus on NGOs working in waste management. According to sources, in the last three years, the BBMP has lost revenue in the Extended Producers Responsibility (EPR) rule.

Karnataka Minister for Revenue Krishna Byre Gowda and Indian Youth Congress General Secretary M.S. Raksha Ramaiah launched the ‘Pehla Vote’ (first vote) campaign on August 11 in Bengaluru, as the party prepares for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. 

A nationwide initiative by the IYC to attract first-time enthusiastic voters in the age group 18 to 23, Pehla Vote aims at increasing the vote share in this cohort for the Congress through interactive and tech-driven campaigns. The campaign will involve QR code for registration, which will be mounted on trucks that will travel across Karnataka and visit hotspots, such as colleges, tuition hubs, bus stations and malls.

For many years now, delivery executives in Bengaluru have been at the receiving end of theft and assault, especially at night, and in areas located on the outskirts. In most cases, the executives are helpless if they are riding smaller electric bikes that are slower than those powered by petrol.