Latest news with #BasavarajRayareddy
NDTV
29-05-2025
- Politics
- NDTV
"Wrong People Getting Benefits": Karnataka Minister At Internal Meet
Bengaluru: Basavaraj Rayareddy, economic advisor to Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has sparked concerns over undeserving people getting benefits under the Congress guarantee schemes in the state. The remarks have brought the spotlight back on the Congress guarantees, over which the party has faced multiple attacks from the BJP since it came to power. The plan now is a review of the list of beneficiaries. Mr Reddy had flagged his concerns at an internal meeting to review guarantees in his constituency - Yelaburga in Koppal. Instructions were laid out to stop guarantees to those who do not deserve it, like government employees, those paying income tax and the like. The plan is to ensure this is carried out across the state. "I was reviewing the guarantees in my constituency. There were some undeserving people who received BPL (Below Poverty Line) cards," the minister told NDTV in an exclusive interview. He said he has asked that the benefits be stopped for everyone who does not deserve it and this weeding will be carried out across Karnataka. "I agree with what Basavaraj Rayareddy said. There are many who are availing schemes without being eligible. He said it in the right spirit, but this needs to be discussed and after a thorough inquiry we can look at implementing this," said labour minister Labour Minister Santosh Lad. Not everyone in the government agrees, though. Minister of Minor Irrigation, Science & Technology NS Boseraju said it is the "personal opinion" of Mr Rayareddy. "As far as the government is concerned, we are committed to continuing with the guarantees," he added.
The Hindu
15-05-2025
- Business
- The Hindu
New Kushtagi-Talakal railway line in Koppal district inaugurated by V. Somanna
Realising the long-pending demand of Kushtagi, Yelburga and Kukanoor taluks in Koppal district of Karnataka, Union Minister of State for Railways V. Somanna inaugurated the Kushtagi–Talakal section of the Gadag–Wadi railway line at Kushtagi Railway Station on May 15. This marks a major milestone in enhancing railway connectivity in Koppal district. The new 56-km stretch, part of the broader Gadag–Wadi rail project, connects several towns and villages, including Linganabandi, Hanumapur, Yelburga, Sanganal, Kukanoor, and Talakal. The event also witnessed the flagging off of the first passenger train from Kushtagi to Hubballi, a service that is expected to benefit thousands of daily commuters and traders. The daily passenger train will start at 7 a.m. from Kushtagi and reach Hubballi at 10.45 a.m. It leaves Hubballi at 5 p.m. Addressing the gathering, Mr. Somanna lauded Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah for providing funds for land acquisition for the project. He expressed appreciation for the efforts of Chief Minister's Economic Advisor Basavaraj Rayareddy in pushing the project forward and hailed Prime Minister Narendra Modi for focusing on expansion of the railway network. 'Prime Minister Modi has revived and implemented several railway projects that were originally proposed during the previous UPA regime, with an investment of ₹7 lakh crore. Robust rail connectivity is essential for driving national development, and this can only be achieved when the Union and State governments function in close coordination, like two sides of the same coin. Since the BJP came to power, we have taken decisive steps towards achieving full railway electrification by 2025. Backed by a national railway budget of ₹2.65 lakh crore, our government has prioritised the completion of long-pending infrastructure projects, unlike the UPA era when funding for railway station development was largely neglected,' the Minister said. The government was introducing the advanced Kavach safety system in Vande Bharat Express trains. 'From 2014 to 2024, we have created five lakh employment opportunities in the railways. After I took charge, we made it possible for candidates to write recruitment exams in Kannada. Additionally, 10,000 new engines are being inducted into the railway system to modernise operations,' he said. Mr. Somanna stated that while the Central Government allocated ₹549 crore in the current financial year for the Gadag–Wadi railway line, ₹837 crore is pending from the government of Karnataka. He called on local leaders, including Basavaraj Rayareddy, to ensure the State's contribution is released promptly. 'For road overbridges and underpasses, the Centre is generously contributing 100% of the cost, although the norm is 50:50 funding between Centre and State,' he added. As part of the event, local MLAs presented three major demands to the Union Minister: a new railway line between Daroji and Bagalkot, the launch of a direct train from Kushtagi to Bengaluru, and a survey for a proposed Kushtagi–Naragund–Ghataprabha line. Koppal district in-charge Minister Shivaraj Tangadagi described the rail line as the fulfilment of a long-cherished dream for the region's residents and praised Basavaraj Rayareddy for playing a pivotal role in realising the project. 'The Gadag–Kushtagi portion of the line is one of the fastest-completed railway segments in recent memory. Although the project is jointly funded by the Centre and State, the State Government successfully managed the land acquisition,' he said. Speaking on the historical journey of the project, Basavaraj Rayareddy recalled that the initial funding of ₹380 crore was sanctioned in 1996, during the tenure of then Prime Minister H.D. Deve Gowda. 'Electrification of the Kushtagi–Talkal segment must also be taken up, and adopting solar-powered systems could significantly reduce costs,' he added.
Time of India
14-05-2025
- Business
- Time of India
First train on Gadag-Wadi railway line runs today
1 2 3 Kushtagi (Koppal): The historic Gadag-Wadi railway line , extending 257km with a budget of Rs 2,841.8 crore, will begin operations on Thursday, fulfilling a long-awaited the total length, 56.1km was completed, while 201km remains pending. V Somanna, minister of state for railways, will launch the first passenger train service from Hubballi to Kushtagi at Kushtagi of March 31, 2025, the Karnataka govt contributed Rs 489.9 crores to the project. The Gadag-Wadi project represents a crucial railway infrastructure development to improve connectivity in North in 1911The project's origins trace back to 1911, when the Nizam of Hyderabad and the British Indian govt showed interest. The initial cost was Rs 1.86 crore. Former MP Basavaraj Rayareddy facilitated the project's revival in 1996 after numerous delays. A 1998 survey estimated costs at Rs 457.7 crore and a subsequent survey in 2009 led to the project's inclusion in the 2013-14 Railway Budget, receiving parliamentary Kanamadi, the public relations officer for South Western Railway, said the project is being executed in phases, including the 22km stretch from Talkal to Sangnal, 13km from Sangnal to Hanumapur, 10.7km from Hanumapur to Linganbandi and 10.1km from Linganbandi to Kushtagi, with a total of 56.1km already commissioning of the completed 56.1km length involves some political dynamics. Basavaraj Rayareddy, the MLA from Yalburga and economic advisor to the chief minister, reached out to railway minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, delivering a letter from CM Siddaramaiah, to promote the Gadag-Wadi passenger train service originating from his constituency."I am happy to announce that the 60-km route from Gadag-Talkal-Kustagi and the 45-km route from Wadi to Shahapur are now ready for service. In light of the significant backing from the state govt, I propose that the inauguration be held in Yelburga," Siddaramaiah wrote in a letter dated March Kyavater, a member of the BJP state executive and closely connected to Somanna, organised the event in Kushtagi. This left Rayareddy disheartened, leading him to refrain from making statements or claiming credit for the completed railway told TOI that while the daily timetable for the Kushtagi-Hubballi train is yet to be finalised, it is anticipated to be ready within two days, with one passenger train scheduled to run daily during the initial phase.
India Today
29-04-2025
- Politics
- India Today
Advisor contradicts Karnataka Chief Minister, wants PoK bombed within a week
Congress MLA and Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah's financial advisor, Basavaraj Rayareddy, reacting to the Pahalgam terror attack, commented, 'Why can't we start attacking Pakistan immediately? Why not start a war tomorrow? Who is stopping us?''Where are they entering from? PoK. Ninety percent of them come through Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. Attack those spots and stop it. Bomb the places where terrorists are hiding and eliminate them mercilessly. Why hasn't the central government started yet? I demand that they act immediately. If you're going to start, do it within a week,' Rayareddy comments come just days after Siddaramaiah urged caution. Siddaramaiah had said he saw 'no need for a war' with Pakistan over the Pahalgam attack — a stance that drew sharp criticism from the BJP, which branded him 'Pakistan Ratna' and mockingly called him 'Wazir-e-Ala', Urdu for Chief Minister. In a post on X, Siddaramaiah wrote that war should only be 'a nation's last resort' and never the first or only option. 'Only when every other means to defeat the enemy has failed should a country be compelled to go to war,' he also accused the Centre of intelligence failure and demanded accountability. 'The horrific terror attack in Pahalgam... has made it painfully clear... that there were grave lapses in our intelligence and security apparatus,' Siddaramaiah his comments on war with Pakistan, R Ashoka said, 'If Siddaramaiah is sent to Pakistan, they'll give him a grand welcome and even confer him their highest civilian award. War is decided by the military and senior leaders. Such statements should not be made at this time.'advertisement IN THIS STORY#Karnataka
