PM Modi sought representation, Karnataka DCM tells council
Now, the state government will come up with a 44 km-long double-decker project for Bengaluru, and both BBMP and BMRCL will share the cost on a 50:50 ratio basis, he said.
Replying to a question by BJP MLC CT Ravi, the Bengaluru development minister shared details of the Tunnel Road Project and its feasibility. 'The PM said India is seen through Bengaluru, hence, we asked him for cooperation for the Tunnel Road Project. The PM asked me for a representation, and he assured that he would look into it,' the DCM said.
He added that about 25 years ago, when he was urban development minister, Bengaluru's population was 70 lakh, which has now touched 1.40 crore. Vehicles number 1.23 crore.
The city has 25 lakh software engineers, compared to 13 lakh in California. 'To ease traffic, the Tunnel Road Project, Double-Decker Project, and roads in the Buffer Zone are being planned for the city,' he stated.
Further, he said Union minister Nitin Gadkari was informed about the traffic situation, and he suggested to visit Mumbai and study the situation there. 'After a study of 1.6 years, we decided to go ahead with the Tunnel Road Project,' he reiterated.
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Time of India
an hour ago
- Time of India
81% posts for teachers in 171 institutions run by Bengaluru civic body vacant
Bengaluru: A staggering 81% of posts for teachers in 171 educational institutions run by BBMP are lying vacant, shows civic body's data. Only 147 of the 761 sanctioned posts are filled. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Instead of filling up posts, guest, or ad-hoc, teachers run the show. BBMP has 93 kindergartens, 17 primary schools, 35 high schools, 20 pre-university colleges, four undergraduate colleges, and two postgraduate colleges under its jurisdiction. To plug the severe shortage of permanent staff, the recruitment of guest teaching staff has increased steadily over the years. In 2021-22, there were 678 guest lecturers, and this number increased to 786 in 2024-25. The negotiations for transfer of BBMP-run educational institutions to the state education department have been continuing for a long time without any outcome. And this has led to the recruitment process being put on hold. So much so, there is no data available on recruitment of permanent teaching staff over the last four years. Suralkar Vikas Kishor, special commissioner, education, BBMP, said: "Although a final decision about the transfer hasn't been made, the recruitment process is currently on hold because hiring permanent staff would mean they officially become BBMP employees. Handing them over to the state govt later would create administrative complications. That's why we've been depending on guest teachers for the time being." BBMP institutions depend on underpaid, ad-hoc teachers, who often juggle multiple jobs and lack proper training that affect students' learning, say educational experts. "Appointing guest lecturers saves govt money — they don't have to pay regular salaries or benefits like vacation pay. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now But this severely affects the quality of teaching. Many of these ad-hoc teachers are underpaid, juggling other jobs like tuition, so their focus and commitment towards students naturally suffer," said Maya Menon, director of The Teacher Foundation. Educationist Niranjanaradhya V P: "Appointing a permanent teacher costs Rs 55,000 to 60,000 a month. For the same amount, the govt can hire five or six guest teachers. That's the unfortunate math driving this policy. Permanent teachers, with job security and dignity, generally perform better, and research shows job satisfaction enhances teaching quality. Guest teachers, on the other hand, work harder for peanuts with no job security and constant worry of disciplinary action in case of a minor error. " Poor Results and Declining Admissions This excessive reliance on guest faculty is also reflected in a drop in pass percentage in these schools. The SSLC pass percentage was 55.38% for 2024-25, which is a drop of 13.4 points from 68.78% in 2023-24. Suralkar agreed the academic performance of students was below par. "One of the core issues we face is the lack of regular academic assessment. We're planning to introduce structured, quarterly examinations. This will help us understand each student's academic standing and intervene accordingly," he said. He also cited low parental involvement as a challenge. "Most of our students come from underprivileged backgrounds, and their parents are often occupied with earning their livelihood. That adds to the learning gap. To tackle this, we're working on making online content more accessible and improving teacher quality through regular training with NGOs like Pratham." Quote Hangers (no mugshots) Educationist V P Niranjanaradhya As per the RTE Act, vacancies in schools should never exceed 10%. But this basic norm is rarely followed, especially in BBMP institutions. The real issue is not just vacancies, but how they are being calculated. The department tends to project consolidated data at the district or block level, which masks severe shortages at the school level. If calculated strictly as per RTE norms, the actual vacancy figures in BBMP schools are far worse than the 81% vacancy data that's being reported Maya Menon, director of The Teacher Foundation Even the poorest parents prefer private schools, not because they're better, but at least there's accountability. In BBMP-run institutions, there's no real accountability. We talk big but aren't doing enough to get the basics right. Box Downfall in BBMP institutions Year - No. of admissions 2022-23 - 24,656 2023-24 - 23,910 2024-25 - 23,341
Indian Express
an hour ago
- Indian Express
GoM meeting on GST reforms next week, tight timeline for Council's nod
The Group of Ministers (GoM) on Rate Rationalisation is set to meet in the coming week to discuss the proposal on next-generation GST reforms Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced on Friday. The GoM has ministers from six states: Kerala, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, West Bengal, Bihar and Karnataka. While the proposal was shared with the ministers from the six states a day before the PM's Independence Day address, the Department of Revenue in the Union Ministry of Finance will make a presentation to the GoM when it meets, sources said. Sources in the Union Finance Ministry said they were confident the GoM and later the GST Council would find merit in the proposal. Internal calculations by the Department of Revenue in the Finance Ministry suggest that gross GST revenues under the proposed two-pillar rate structure of 5 per cent and 18 per cent will not be lower than what it is now. Giving a broad idea of the proposal, sources said most of the products and services would be placed in either of the two rates — 5 per cent or 18 per cent. Goods and services used by the common man, or as inputs by farmers, small entrepreneurs and MSMEs, will attract the lower 5 per cent duty. This will reduce the tax burden and is expected to drive consumption. Most other goods and services will attract the 18 per cent rate, they said. Sources said that in categorising goods and services as sin and demerit goods and bracketing them under the special rate of 40 per cent, the Department of Revenue has kept in mind the country's 'social ethos'. At present, there are multiple rate slabs — 5 per cent, 12 per cent, 18 per cent and 28 per cent — and a compensation cess ranging from 1 per cent to 290 per cent that is levied on sin and luxury goods such as cars, refrigerators, air conditioners, pan masala, tobacco and cigarettes. With loans taken by the Centre to pay compensation cess to states getting recouped and fully repaid by November-December, the cess rates on goods are proposed to be subsumed at this special rate of 40 per cent, sources said. But on some goods like tobacco, the tax incidence is substantially higher than 40 per cent; the government is aware of this, and a separate mechanism may be arrived at in due course, the sources said. Though there might be an initial impact on revenues, the gains from higher compliance and consumption are expected to offset the losses, they said. Against a tight timeline, the Centre is learnt to have factored in at least three meetings of the GoM before a final proposal is put before the GST Council, the apex decision-making authority on aspects of the indirect tax regime that was introduced in 2017. Indications are that a rollout is being targeted well ahead of Diwali, since the industry needs time to reconcile to the new rate structure and any disruption ahead of the festive season would need to be avoided. 'In the eight years of GST, there has so far been patchy tinkering of tax rates and slabs. That piecemeal addressing of problems with the tax regime has only complicated the structure further and has ended up with a system that is even more complicated and layered than what was originally envisaged. What we are doing now is a holistic revamp of the tax system with two main rates that will be the two pillars of the tax regime,' said the source 'This structural reform to the tax regime would be accompanied by process reforms that include sorting out registration issues and problems with refunds, and changes in how automated notices are generated to make the interface smoother,' said the source. As per the proposal, the government is looking to implement pre-filled returns to reduce manual intervention, eliminate mismatches and compliance burden due to multiple notices. Changes will also be made on the refunds front, with the proposal aiming to provide a major portion of refunds within a fixed number of days and enable automated processing of refunds for exporters and those with inverted duty structure. 'In Income Tax, the tax department keeps your TDS (tax deducted at source) amount for one year and pays you the refund after your return filing. But since they pay fast, the taxpayer feels happy about it. In GST, there are refunds that are given three times or four times a year. But people still complain. Now, the crucial difference here is that in the case of GST, the timing is crucial, since it (the refund) is working capital for the enterprise. So, there is a need to make the processes faster. All these will be part of the process reforms,' the source said. The Centre is learnt to have factored in at least three meetings of the Group of Ministers (GoM) before a final proposal is put before the GST Council. Indications are that a rollout is being targeted well ahead of Diwali, since the industry needs time to reconcile to the new rate structure and any disruption ahead of the festive season would need to be avoided. The multiplicity of rates in the current GST regime, officials said, had triggered problems of implementation, confusion of interpretation, and disputes. 'So, we wanted to make it simple. Ideally, one tax rate would have been the best solution, but it is not practical. Currently, we have five rates, alongside the exempt items and special rates for items such as jewellery or diamonds. Now we would have two rates (5 per cent and 18 per cent). The third rate (40 per cent) is exceptional. You need to justify why something should go there. Currently, 28 per cent is part of the structure. 40 per cent in the new regime is not. That is the difference,' the source said. The PM's announcement has to be seen in the context of it being a proposal for states to consider, the source said. 'A reform like this should have everybody on board for it to work best. The GoM on rate rationalisation has been working on this issue for the last four years… The Centre has now taken a leadership position on this, and put this proposal for consideration of the panel,' a source said. The Centre, sources said, is convinced of the buoyancy from the rate rationalisation taking care of the worries stemming from revenue loss, unlike an earlier attempt in 2018 when rate cuts did not result in revenue gains. 'There were problems then (2018), since it (the cut) led to inversions in duty rates in multiple sectors and that led to some amount of gaming of the system by players to avail of input tax credits. Evasion grew… This move to revamp the rate structure (now) is to avoid inversions and inversions-related problems,' an official said. 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Hindustan Times
an hour ago
- Hindustan Times
New routes bring hope for boom in realty, smoother NCR commute with UER-2
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate a new 75.71-kilometre ring road on Sunday that people in Gurugram and adjoining regions hope will ease traffic congestion around Delhi, and boost development in a new part of the sprawling but congested National Capital Region (NCR). Together with the Dwarka Expressway, the project is being billed as a game-changer that could ease traffic on NH-48 and boost access to Indira Gandhi International Airport. (Vipin Kumar/HT Photo) The Urban Extension Road-II (UER-II) spans 54.21km in Delhi and 21.50km in Haryana, running from NH-44 in Alipur through Bawana, Rohini, Mundka, Bakkarwala, Najafgarh and Dwarka before ending at NH-48 near Mahipalpur. Built by the National Highways Authority of India, the expressway connects to the Dwarka Expressway, Western Peripheral Expressway and Eastern Peripheral Expressway. Officials say it will reduce travel times between Delhi and neighbouring cities whilst diverting freight traffic away from the city centre. Together with the Dwarka Expressway, the project is being billed as a game-changer that could ease traffic on NH-48 and boost access to Indira Gandhi International Airport. A senior Gurugram traffic police officer said the new corridor is expected to directly benefit local commuters. 'UER-II will cut travel time between Gurugram and outer Delhi by offering an alternative to NH-48 and Sohna Road. With freight traffic diverted from central Delhi, the expressway will also ease peak-hour congestion for thousands of daily commuters heading towards IGI Airport and Dwarka,' the officer said. The corridor includes 190 surveillance cameras and AI-enabled incident detection systems. Officials said the enforcement system is under trial and will begin issuing fines within two weeks. Sunil Sareen, a resident of Imperial Garden in Sector 102 and deputy convener of the Dwarka Expressway Group Development Authority (DXPGDA), said, 'The inauguration of UER-II and the Dwarka Expressway is a landmark moment for residents who have waited years for this project. The new connectivity will not only shorten travel time but also bring world-class infrastructure to our doorstep. For residents, it means safer roads, better quality of life, and rising property values; for the region, it signals the start of a new era of growth and opportunity.' The new expressway has already triggered significant real estate activity. Data from Square Yards shows nearly 45,000 housing units were launched along the corridor over the past decade, with 20,000-22,000 already completed. Property prices in the luxury segment currently range between ₹15,000-17,000 per square foot. Some developers predict further increases once the road opens. 'Areas like Dwarka Expressway and Najafgarh are set to emerge as prime centres for mid- and high-end housing,' said Vishesh Rawat, vice-president of M2K Group. Industry observers say improved connectivity could benefit logistics and warehousing sectors, though the extent depends on how effectively the new road integrates with existing transport networks. Vikas Dua, founder and director of Chintamanis, a real estate and jewellery company, said the scale of infrastructure being rolled out would energise logistics, warehousing, and commercial hubs. 'This is not just about real estate—it is a connectivity-led growth phase that will shape the region for years to come,' he said. Robin Mangla of M3M India said reduced travel times between Delhi, Gurugram and cities like Sonepat and Panipat could boost business confidence in smaller urban centres. 'This kind of mobility redefines how people and businesses engage with emerging locations,' he said. The project's success will largely depend on how well it connects with Delhi's broader transport infrastructure, including the metro network and existing highways. Previous ring road projects in and around Delhi have provided temporary relief before reaching capacity as urban development followed the new corridors. Transport experts say sustainable congestion relief requires integrated planning combining road infrastructure with public transport and land use policies. Navdeep Sardana, founder of Whiteland Corporation, said UER-II will give emerging micro-markets along the corridor much stronger access to Gurugram's mainstream hubs, spurring both residential and commercial growth. 'The Dwarka Expressway corridor, now at the center of this transformation, is rapidly becoming one of NCR's most promising destinations. Our flagship project, Westin Residences Gurugram in Sector 103, reflects this progress and sets a benchmark for global standards in urban living. With improved connectivity and accessibility, the region is poised to redefine modern city living while unlocking immense investment potential,' he said. 'The inauguration of UER-II and the Delhi stretch of Dwarka Expressway is a transformative chapter in NCR's growth story. It symbolises India's commitment to world-class infrastructure while directly fuelling sustainable expansion across housing, retail, and commercial sectors,' Hero Realty CEO Rohit Kishore said.
