Latest news with #HDKumaraswamy
Time of India
4 hours ago
- Automotive
- Time of India
bhel: PM E-Drive halfway down the road for 2 & 3-wheelers: HD Kumaraswamy
ADVERTISEMENT ADVERTISEMENT ADVERTISEMENT New Delhi: The PM E-Drive scheme , which seeks to accelerate the adoption of electric vehicles, has so far achieved nearly 50% of its targets for two- and three-wheeler sales, said union steel and heavy industries minister HD Kumaraswamy At 155,085 units, more than 75% of the target for the sale of large electric three-wheelers has already been achieved as of May 30, the minister said. Under the electric two-wheeler category, 1,198,707 units have been sold, meeting 48% of the scheme target so far, he told ET in an interview Sunday, adding that this scheme is routinely being reviewed to address any scheme, started in September 2024, will run till March minister also said steps are being taken to improve project execution by state-run Bharat Heavy Electricals Ltd BHEL ).Under PM E-Drive, he said, the e-rickshaw or e-cart category has grossly underperformed the other segments, achieving just 2% of the scheme target at 2,736 on the deliverables for electric buses under the scheme, Kumaraswamy said: "So far, 10,900 e-buses have been approved, with deployment expected in Karnataka, Delhi, Telangana and Gujarat. Demand for another 1,000 e-buses has been raised by Pune which is yet to be approved. The tender will be floated this week by Convergence Energy Services."The PM E-Drive Scheme has allocated ₹4,391 crore for deployment of 14,028 e-buses in nine major cities. He said a payment security mechanism shall ensure that e-bus suppliers get the payments on time."Direct debit mandate with the RBI has been signed by Karnataka, Telangana and Gujarat. Delhi has agreed to the DDM," he this mechanism, the central bank can debit the accounts of states if there is any shortfall in payments to e-bus suppliers."Total demand for 14,400 e-buses has come from cities. The current allocation has been considered for 10,900 e-buses in the Phase I," Kumaraswamy said. "Talks are on with remaining states. Their demand will be taken up in the next phase."His ministry also administers BHEL, which today has a healthy orderbook with the surge in thermal power capacity addition. But the company has historically struggled with meeting steps expected to improve BHEL's deliverables, he said: "Processes are being refined along with many new initiatives which are vendor friendly, inviting more participation to meet spurt in material and manpower demand."
Time of India
7 hours ago
- Automotive
- Time of India
PM E-Drive halfway down the road for 2 & 3-wheelers: HD Kumaraswamy
New Delhi: The PM E-Drive scheme , which seeks to accelerate the adoption of electric vehicles, has so far achieved nearly 50% of its targets for two- and three-wheeler sales, said union steel and heavy industries minister HD Kumaraswamy . At 155,085 units, more than 75% of the target for the sale of large electric three-wheelers has already been achieved as of May 30, the minister said. Under the electric two-wheeler category, 1,198,707 units have been sold, meeting 48% of the scheme target so far, he told ET in an interview Sunday, adding that this scheme is routinely being reviewed to address any concerns. The scheme, started in September 2024, will run till March 2026. The minister also said steps are being taken to improve project execution by state-run Bharat Heavy Electricals Ltd ( BHEL ). Under PM E-Drive, he said, the e-rickshaw or e-cart category has grossly underperformed the other segments, achieving just 2% of the scheme target at 2,736 units. Commenting on the deliverables for electric buses under the scheme, Kumaraswamy said: "So far, 10,900 e-buses have been approved, with deployment expected in Karnataka, Delhi, Telangana and Gujarat. Demand for another 1,000 e-buses has been raised by Pune which is yet to be approved. The tender will be floated this week by Convergence Energy Services." The PM E-Drive Scheme has allocated ₹4,391 crore for deployment of 14,028 e-buses in nine major cities. He said a payment security mechanism shall ensure that e-bus suppliers get the payments on time. "Direct debit mandate with the RBI has been signed by Karnataka, Telangana and Gujarat. Delhi has agreed to the DDM," he said. Under this mechanism, the central bank can debit the accounts of states if there is any shortfall in payments to e-bus suppliers. "Total demand for 14,400 e-buses has come from cities. The current allocation has been considered for 10,900 e-buses in the Phase I," Kumaraswamy said. "Talks are on with remaining states. Their demand will be taken up in the next phase." His ministry also administers BHEL, which today has a healthy orderbook with the surge in thermal power capacity addition. But the company has historically struggled with meeting timelines. On steps expected to improve BHEL's deliverables, he said: "Processes are being refined along with many new initiatives which are vendor friendly, inviting more participation to meet spurt in material and manpower demand."
Indian Express
a day ago
- Politics
- Indian Express
Karnataka government seeks action against two serving IFS officers for allowing Bengaluru land worth Rs 14,000 crore to be declared ‘not a forest'
The Karnataka forest ministry has sought legal and disciplinary action against two serving Indian Forest Service (IFS) officers for allegedly facilitating the handover of forest land worth approximately Rs 14,000 crore – held by the public sector company Hindustan Machine Tools (HMT) in Bengaluru – to third parties, including private entities. Forest and Environment Minister Eshwar Khandre announced this week that the government had recommended action against two serving IFS officers, one retired IFS officer, and one retired IAS official for facilitating the filing of an application in the Supreme Court 'seeking permission for denotification of HMT forest land worth over Rs 14,000 crore.' The controversy pertains to 599 acres of land in a plantation in the Peenya Jalahalli region, which was declared a forest in 1896 and was later transferred to the public sector HMT in the 1960s to create industrial infrastructure through a donation deed by the Bengaluru district collector. In recent years, large portions of the land given to HMT by the forest department for industrial purposes have allegedly been used to facilitate major real estate projects through the connivance of state and central government officials. Over the last year, a dispute has arisen over the land between the Union heavy industries ministry headed by former Karnataka CM and Janata Dal (Secular) leader H D Kumaraswamy – who is looking at monetising the land to resuscitate the fortunes of HMT – and the state forest department which is trying to recover the HMT land by arguing that it remains a forest land. 'This plantation is owned by HMT. It is illegal for the organisation to sell to government departments/organisations and private individuals. However, the fact that forest officials did not make any attempt to recover the land and, without even drawing the attention of the Cabinet, submitted an Interim Application (IA) to the Supreme Court seeking denotification in 2020 is a cause for doubt,' the Karnataka forest minister had stated earlier this year. Last year, in November, the state government had issued notices to the forest officials concerned over the filing of the IA in the SC on the HMT forest land. In January this year, the state government had ordered that since 281 acres of the 599 acres of land donated to HMT is vacant land 'without any building', the forest department must take possession of the vacant forest land. Among the forest officers against whom action has been sought by the state government is IFS officer R Gokul, who was whistle blower in the illegal mining scam in Karnataka in 2009-11 – when as deputy conservator of forests he reported the large scale exports through the Belekeri port of iron ore illegally excavated from the forests of Bellary by a mining mafia. The other officers are former forest secretary Sandeep Dave, a retired IAS officer, retired IFS officer Vijay Kumar Gogo, and serving senior IFS officer Smita Bijoor. The state government has also taken umbrage over the fact that IFS officer Gokul – who is a chief conservator – has written to the CBI saying he is being targeted by the Congress government for bringing evidence in the illegal mining cases being prosecuted by the CBI against some political leaders in Karnataka. The land granted to HMT 'is alienated, real estate companies have built hundreds of flats. Shooting of serials and films is going on. The land is being used for commercial purposes. How this was allowed is the question,' Forest Minister Khandre said this week. 'The forest land in the possession of HMT is the property of seven crore Kannadigas, and a few officials have applied for denotification without even bringing this to the attention of the then forest minister and without seeking prior approval of the Cabinet,' Khandre added. 'Notices have been issued to four officials, including two retired and two serving officials, and a recommendation for action has been sent to the chief minister,' he further said. The forest minister said that the IA submitted by the state in 2020 (during the tenure of the BJP government in Karnataka) contained false information since it said that the land given to HMT had lost its forest nature. The information on the filing of the IA in the SC was not brought to the notice of even a high-level committee headed by the chief secretary, which was created in 2015 to resolve the issue of forest land held by institutions in Bengaluru, the forest minister claimed. He said that just 25 days after the filing of the IA in the SC, on July 15, 2020, it was decided that the denotification of forest areas can be recommended to the state cabinet by the additional chief secretary of the forest, environment, and biology department. The forest minister said that a file had been submitted to Chief Minister Siddaramaiah to suspend IFS officer Gokul and to conduct a departmental inquiry against the other serving officer. While the Karnataka forest department has withdrawn the June 2020 affidavit filed in the Supreme Court on the nature of the HMT land and has initiated measures to recover the land, Union Heavy Industries Minister H D Kumaraswamy has indicated that there is no question of returning the land under the control of the HMT factory. Kumaraswamy has in the past questioned the state government's intentions in taking back the land granted to HMT. 'What do they plan to do with the land if they take it back from the factory, and which builder do they intend to give it to? 'Who gave permission to sell 200 acres of land formerly belonging to HMT? Who was in power in the state from 1999 to 2004 (Congress tenure)? In 2006, when I became chief minister, I ordered that even an inch of HMT land cannot be sold,' Kumaraswamy earlier stated.
New Indian Express
2 days ago
- Politics
- New Indian Express
HDK questions Siddaramaiah government over flood preparedness
BENGALURU: Union Minister for Steel and Heavy Industries HD Kumaraswamy has slammed the Karnataka government accusing it of failing to respond adequately to the devastating floods that have lashed the state's coastal districts and other areas. 'Relentless torrential rains across the state, including the coastal belt, have severely disrupted daily life. Homes, roads, and bridges have collapsed. Cities, towns, and villages are waterlogged, and people are in deep distress. Yet, instead of acting responsibly and wiping their tears, the Congress government seems desperate to bring more blood and tears to their eyes,' Kumaraswamy told the media. He criticised the administration for what he called lack of preparedness, questioning the effectiveness of post-disaster visits by ministers. 'What's the point if, after lives are lost to the floods, the Chief Minister merely instructs ministers to 'go visit'?' he asked, invoking the Kannada proverb, 'What's the use of bolting the door after the fort has been looted?'
United News of India
3 days ago
- Politics
- United News of India
Kumaraswamy blames Cong for flood, violence
Bengaluru, May 30 (UNI) Former Chief Minister and Union Minister HD Kumaraswamy on Friday launched a fierce attack on the Siddaramaiah-led Congress government, accusing it of turning Karnataka's coastal region into a 'political disaster' amid relentless floods and rising murders. Addressing the ongoing crisis caused by torrential rains that have battered the state, Kumaraswamy said, 'The floods may be nature's fury, but the murder spree is a political disaster fuelled by your party.' The former CM highlighted the severe disruption caused by the unrelenting rains, with homes, roads, and bridges collapsing and cities, towns, and villages waterlogged across the state, leaving people in tears and deep distress. 'Instead of acting responsibly and wiping the tears of the people, the Congress government seems desperate to bring blood and tears to their eyes,' Kumaraswamy said, condemning the administration's inadequate disaster preparedness and response. He criticised the Chief Minister for merely instructing ministers to visit flood-affected areas after lives were lost, likening it to 'bolting the door after the fort has been looted.' Kumaraswamy questioned the government's pre-monsoon preparations and its claim of people-centric governance. Kumaraswamy also accused the Congress of selective concern, pointing out its apparent indifference to the flood crisis while allegedly exploiting coastal murders for political gain. 'You have been in power for two years, blaming other parties, yet murders in the coastal region have not been curbed despite a particular community voting 100% for your party,' he said, accusing Siddaramaiah's administration of failing to protect people and instead spreading communal venom. 'You have turned a once peaceful garden of communities into a garden of venomous snakes,' Kumaraswamy said, urging the Chief Minister to immediately visit the flood-hit coastal areas and restore hope among the shattered people. UNI BDN PRS
