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Karnataka Today newsletter: Rahul Gandhi, Kharge launch Gruha Lakshmi scheme in Karnataka, and more

Congress government launched Gruha Lakshmi, the much-awaited guarantee scheme providing financial aid of ₹2,000 to women head of families in Karnataka, in Mysuru on August 30. The scheme was launched by Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge and Congress MP Rahul Gandhi at a function presided over by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah in front of a mammoth gathering of beneficiaries at Maharaja’s College.

Pressing a button on an electronic tablet to launch the scheme, Mr. Gandhi declared that Gruha Lakshmi scheme was the country’s largest money transfer scheme.

In compliance with the directives of the Cauvery Water Management Authority (CWMA), Karnataka began releasing water from its reservoirs to Tamil Nadu. The rate of outflow from the Krishnaraja Sagar (KRS) reservoir across the river Cauvery in Mandya district was stepped up to 4,398 cusecs against an inflow of 2,300 cusecs as on August 30.

The CWMA on Tuesday had directed the State to ensure 5,000 cusecs of water at Biligundulu on the Karnataka-Tamil Nadu border for 15 days up to September 12. The water level at the KRS as on Wednesday was 101.58 ft against the full reservoir level of 124.80 ft. The water level on the same day last year was 123.92 ft, underlining the paucity of rains in the Cauvery catchment areas.

Terminal 2 (T2) at the Kempegowda International Airport will commence international operations on August 31. According to BIAL, passengers travelling on Singapore Airlines flight SQ508/SQ509 between Singapore and Bengaluru will be the first to experience the international zone of the new terminal. IndiGo will be the first Indian carrier to start international operations in T2, with its flight 6E1167 to Colombo.

On August 31, all international flights departing and arriving from 10.45 a.m. onwards will operate from T2. Terminal 2 will facilitate 30 to 35 daily international departures through 27 airlines (25 international carriers and 2 Indian).

With occupancy rates on the MEMU (Mainline Electric Multiple Unit) trains operating from Bengaluru city to Kempegowda International Airport (KIA) railway station falling below 1%, the South Western Railway (SWR) has proposed to extend the train to Chikkaballapur to increase occupancy.