BJP is afraid of bypoll defeat, spreading propaganda on Congress: Siddaramaiah

Posted on by Vividh Bharathi

Bagalkot (Karnataka), April 4 (IANS) The BJP is afraid of defeat and is spreading false propaganda against the Congress government, said Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah.

He was speaking to the media in Bagalkot on Saturday.

The election campaign for the Bagalkot by-election is going well, and we have received an overwhelming response from the people. We are expecting a good victory in both constituencies, he said.

The Congress government’s programmes are designed for the poor. We have given programmes to people of all castes, religions, and languages. The BJP is opposing the guarantee schemes, which are investments providing social commitment and development, he slammed.

Development is not just about roads, bridges, and buildings. It is also about providing economic and social security, the Chief Minister said.

The BJP has been opposing the social schemes since they were announced. Prime Minister Narendra Modi and others have been saying that the state will go bankrupt.

The guarantee schemes have been in place for the past three years, and we have spent Rs 1.31 lakh crore on them till March 24, 2026, he stated.

“We have not reduced expenditure on irrigation, public works, rural development, drinking water, police, and SC/ST schemes. Last year, we spent Rs 42,000 crore, and this year we are spending over Rs 44,000 crore. Development work has not been hampered,” he said.

Siddaramaiah said the BJP’s claim that he has taken excessive loans is false. The Fiscal Responsibility and Budget Management (FRBM) Act, which was introduced in 2002, sets three criteria for states: fiscal deficit should be within 3 per cent of GDP, debt should be within 25 per cent of GDP, and interest payments should not exceed 25 per cent of revenue receipts.

Our debt is at 24.94 per cent, and we have not exceeded the limits set by the FRBM Act. We have maintained fiscal discipline, the Chief Minister said.

The state’s GDP growth is 8.1per cent, which is better than the central government’s 7.14 per cent. The Congress government has fulfilled 158 of the 165 promises made in its 2013 manifesto. The BJP has not fulfilled even 10 per cent of its promises.

The Congress government has kept its word, and our guarantees have benefited the people. The BJP should tell the people about its achievements instead of criticising us, he said.

The BJP is using MLA Basanagouda Patil Yatnal, who was expelled from the party, for campaigning. This shows the BJP’s desperation and fear of defeat, Siddaramaiah added.

–IANS

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Chennai, Jan 5 (IANS) The parents of students appearing for the Tamil Nadu Rural Students Talent Search (TRUST) exam have called for an increase in the scholarship amount provided to beneficiaries.

Currently, students who clear the TRUST exam receive a scholarship of Rs 1,000 per year for four consecutive years, until they complete Class 12.

The exam, designed to encourage rural students in Class 9 to complete their school education, is limited to those whose parents earn less than Rs one lakh annually.

The 2023 TRUST exam, initially scheduled for December 14, was postponed to February 1 due to heavy rain across several districts, according to a notification by the Tamil Nadu Directorate of Government Examination (DGE).

There has been widespread criticism regarding the meagre Rs 1,000 annual scholarship. Rajarathinam, the father of a Class 9 student, said, “Without proper incentives, students are not motivated to study for the exam. Rs1,000 per year hardly qualifies as a scholarship.”

Similarly, M.K. Ushakumari from Erode remarked, “Students lack the enthusiasm to write the exam because the annual scholarship of Rs 1,000 is too small.”

Teachers have also raised concerns about inadequate preparation resources and training for the exam.

Palaniappan Rajagopal, a mathematics teacher from a government school in Nagercoil, stated, “While algebra is introduced in Class 8, the exam asks more complex questions. Relying solely on outdated question papers is insufficient.”

Currently, Tamil-medium students receive outdated PDF reference materials, while English-medium students lack any such support. In addition, many students from low-income families face challenges in accessing smartphones and the Internet for exam preparation.

Stakeholders are urging the government to increase the budget allocation for student scholarships. Teachers have pointed out the need for modern study materials, updated syllabi, and special training sessions to better prepare students for the exam.

The TRUST exam, introduced in 1991 by the government in collaboration with the School Education Department and Rural Development, aims to support rural students in completing their schooling. The exam covers topics from the Class 8 syllabus but is administered to students from Classes 9 to 12 in government-recognised rural schools.

Subjects include mathematics, social studies, mental ability, and science, with a focus on application-based questions to assess reasoning and comprehension skills.

During the 2023-24 academic year, scholarships were awarded to 4,130 students who cleared the exam.

However, concerns have arisen over a decline in the number of students scoring above 50 marks out of 100 compared to the previous year.

While the National Means-cum-Merit Scholarship (NMMS) provides Rs 1,000 per month for four years to students from families earning less than Rs 3.5 lakh annually, experts argue that the TRUST programme offers better opportunities tailored specifically for Tamil Nadu’s rural students.

With an increasing number of parents, teachers, and stakeholders advocating for higher scholarship amounts and better resources, the government is being urged to prioritise reforms in the TRUST exam programme to benefit deserving students across the state.

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Govt to establish working women’s hostels in each district: Rajasthan minister

Jaipur, Feb 22 (IANS) Social Justice and Empowerment Minister Avinash Gehlot announced in the Assembly on Friday that working women’s hostels will be opened in all districts of Rajasthan in a phased manner. He informed that land has already been allotted at 30 district headquarters, while the process is underway at 11 more locations.

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In a written response to MLA Anita Bhadel’s question, the Minister provided details on land allotment and said that land allotment has been done in 23 districts including Sikar, Pali, Churu, Bundi, Jhalawar, Chittorgarh, Baran, Karauli, Sri Ganganagar, Alwar, Bhilwara, Jalore, Nagaur, Jaisalmer, Jhunjhunu, Tonk, Hanumangarh, Dausa, Sirohi, Beawar, and Didwana-Kuchaman.

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Advertisements were published in newspapers on February 12, and proposals are due by March 10.

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He also recalled that Punjab Congress President Amarinder Singh Raja Warring had declared during the Amritsar mayoral elections that, despite the Congress and AAP being part of the INDIA bloc at the national level, the Congress had no past, present, or future association with AAP.

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