Latest news with #Poojary
Time of India
2 days ago
- Politics
- Time of India
Cong leader accuses BJP MLA of not taking action during rain disaster
Mangaluru: KPCC general secretary Padmaraj R Poojary criticised MLA D Vedavyas Kamath for failing to support the rescue operations during the recent rain-related disasters. Poojary told reporters on Monday that the MLA of Mangaluru City South forgot his responsibilities and was engaged in political mudslinging even when the city witnessed artificial flooding and other disasters. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now He said the MLA also did not meet district minister Dinesh Gundu Rao to discuss rain-related issues. "Heavy downpour caused significant destruction, including loss of lives, in Dakshina Kannada. People elected their MLAs with the hope of working for the constituency, especially in times of crisis. Unfortunately, MLA Kamath was engaged in political mudslinging targeting the Congress govt, even when roads in the city were witnessing artificial flooding," Poojary said. He stated that the BJP, which was in power in the Mangaluru City Corporation (MCC) council for five years, did not do anything to prevent the flooding of roads. The unscientific development works taken up under the Smart City Mission were also a reason for the artificial flooding. On the instructions of chief minister Siddaramaiah, the district minister visited various places, distributed ex-gratia to the families of those who died in the natural disaster, and also held official meetings to strengthen the disaster response network. Being an elected representative, Kamath should have met the minister and given his suggestions to tackle the rain damage. Condemning the murder of Abdul Rahiman, Poojary said, "I checked the background of Rahiman and I assert confidently that he was an innocent youth, who had no criminal records in any police stations. No one has the right to kill anyone, even those who have criminal records. I have confidence that the new police officers appointed by the govt will be able to establish peace and harmony in the district." In response to a query, Poojary said that he will seek more funds for disaster management in the district.
The Hindu
4 days ago
- Politics
- The Hindu
MP instructs UUDA to clear pending files related to single layout plans within fortnight
Udupi-Chikkamagaluru Member of Parliament Kota Srinivas Poojary, on Saturday, instructed the Udupi Urban Development Authority (UUDA) to clear pending files related to single layout plan approvals within a fortnight. Presiding over a meeting at the Udupi Deputy Commissioner's office in Manipal, Mr. Poojary said that applicants have complained to him that UUDA is delaying the clearance of their files, making it difficult for them to construct their houses and other buildings. 'Notwithstanding government guidelines to approve such layouts having a six-meter setback from roads, thousands of applications remain pending due to negligence,'' he said. The MP stressed the need to eliminate middlemen from the process and ensure a people-friendly approach. Udupi MLA Yashpal Suvarna said that over 11,000 applications seeking approval for layout plans are stuck at UUDA, and it should clear them fast. Kundapur MLA Kiran Kumar Kodgi noted that applicants from far-off places like Kundapur and Byndoor are forced to visit the UUDA office repeatedly. 'Officials must act swiftly, keeping public inconvenience in mind,'' he urged. Kaup MLA Gurme Suresh Shetty said that the delay is damaging the reputation of the elected representatives, as people are pointing fingers at them. Additional Deputy Commissioner of Udupi Abid Gadyal instructed the authority to process applications backed by gram panchayat recommendations without delay, especially for those travelling long distances. Following a detailed discussion, the UUDA's Assistant Director assured that all pending files would be cleared within 15 days, after obtaining Public Works Department's clearance and adhering to the six meter road margin rule.
The Hindu
7 days ago
- Business
- The Hindu
LIC directed to refund entire investment to an octogenarian for lack of informed consent
The Udupi District Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission recently directed the Life Insurance Corporation of India (LIC) to refund ₹15 lakh invested by an octogenarian, as the insurance corporation had failed to obtain informed consent from him before selling the policy. Udupi Human Rights Protection Foundation president Ravindranath Shanbhag told reporters at Udupi on Thursday that 83-year-old Annappa Poojary from Beluru in Kundapura taluk wanted an assured income after selling his property in 2021. Earlier, he was running a business in Hubballi, but returned to his native after suffering a paralytic stroke. After selling the property for livelihood, he contacted an agent of the LIC, Kundapura branch, to invest the sale proceeds of ₹30 lakh to earn interest. The agent advised him to invest in 'Pradhan Mantri Vaya Vandana Yojana' (PMVVY), a subsidised scheme for senior citizens. Mr. Poojary invested the entire sum with LIC on the condition that he could withdraw the amount if needed. He received two policies for ₹15 lakh each on September 6, 2021, but was unable to read the terms and conditions as they were in English. Upon checking his bank passbook months later, Mr. Poojary noticed that the first deposit earned ₹9,250 in interest, while the second earned only ₹6,519 per month for the same amounts. The agent failed to answer his queries. As the combined interest was insufficient to cover his expenses, including treatment for Parkinson's disease, he wanted to surrender the second policy. To his shock, LIC informed him that the surrender value was ₹10,73,412 after 16 months. Dr. Shanbhag said that Mr. Poojary approached the foundation after making many failed attempts to have his investment refunded. The foundation initiated a case before the Consumer Commission in Udupi, which on May 21, 2025, directed the LIC to refund Mr. Poojary's entire investment along with ₹20,000 towards compensation for mental agony and legal expenses. While the first policy was issued under PMVVY, the second one was issued under LIC's Jeevan Akshay Scheme, which had different terms and conditions and a lower interest rate. Neither the LIC nor the LIC agent explained this to Mr. Poojary, Dr. Shanbhag said.
Time of India
7 days ago
- Health
- Time of India
Insurance firm told to refund Rs 15 lakh to 83-year-old Udupi man misled on policy, additional Rs 20,000 for mental harassment
Representative Image UDUPI: The Udupi District Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission has ordered an insurance company to refund Rs 15 lakh to a senior citizen and pay an additional Rs 20,000 as compensation for mental harassment and legal expenses. Dr Ravindranath Shanbhag, President of the Human Rights Protection Foundation (HRPF), Udupi, told reporters on Thursday that Annappa Poojary, 83, a resident of Belur in Kundapur taluk, used to run a business in Hubballi for his livelihood. After suffering a paralytic stroke 15 years ago, he returned to his hometown and began living with his wife. Although he had children, they were not financially capable of supporting their parents, forcing Poojary to sell his property in Kundapur. After the sale, he decided to deposit the proceeds of Rs30 lakh in fixed deposits, intending to live off the interest income. When Poojary consulted an insurance agent, he was advised to invest the amount in the "Pradhan Mantri Vaya Vandana Yojana" (PMVVY), a subsidised scheme for senior citizens. T he agent assured him that the scheme offered higher returns and allowed premature withdrawal in case of emergencies. Trusting the agent, Poojary invested his entire Rs30 lakh under the condition that he would be able to withdraw the amount if needed. Soon after, he received two policies of Rs15 lakh each. Being illiterate, Poojary and his wife could not read the policy documents, which were in English, and relied solely on the agent's assurances. Months later, when Poojary checked his passbook, he noticed that the first deposit earned Rs9,250 in interest, while the second earned only Rs 6,519. When questioned, the agent failed to provide a proper explanation. Already battling paralysis, Poojary was also diagnosed with Parkinson's disease. He frequently had to travel 45 km to Manipal for treatment. The combined interest of around Rs 15,000 from both deposits was insufficient to meet his medical and living expenses. He decided to withdraw the lower-interest policy and repeatedly contacted the insurance company's office and the agent. Receiving no response, he formally requested the surrender of one of the policies on January 11, 2023. He was shocked to discover that the policy, purchased on September 6, had a surrender value of only Rs10,73,412 after 16 months, meaning he would lose Rs4,26,588. He claimed he was never informed about the massive penalty for premature withdrawal. He then sought assistance from the HRPF, Udupi. The foundation guided him to file a complaint with the Udupi District Consumer Commission. Shanbhag said the company argued that the first policy was under the PMVVY, while the second was under a different plan. They claimed the policyholder had a 15-day 'free-look' period to cancel the policy but failed to do so. However, the company could not produce any evidence that these terms were ever explained to the illiterate Poojary couple, he added.
Time of India
22-05-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
BJP releases chargesheet on failures of Cong govt
Mangaluru: The BJP on Wednesday released a chargesheet highlighting what it called the failures of the Congress-led Karnataka govt. Addressing reporters after its release, Udupi-Chikmagaluru MP Kota Shrinivasa Poojary alleged that the state govt failed on all fronts and was running purely on propaganda and false promises. He accused the administration of being entangled in multiple scams, including the Muda scam, Valmiki Corporation scam, and alleged misuse of funds meant for Dalit welfare. Poojary also cited issues such as injustice to farmers, rising milk prices, and the deaths of lactating women. He alleged that land belonging to farmers was being encroached upon in the name of waqf properties. Slamming the Congress for making baseless allegations against the Centre, Poojary lashed out at labour minister Santhosh Lad, stating that the minister is more focused on Prime Minister Modi's attire than labour welfare. He further claimed that rural infrastructure was neglected, with PWD, fisheries, and panchayat roads not receiving maintenance funds for the past two years. Pothole-ridden roads are now a common sight across the state. He also criticised the poor implementation of the Centre's Jal Jeevan Mission in Karnataka. Poojary alleged that key farmer welfare schemes, such as the additional Rs 4,000 under PM Kisan Samman Nidhi, were discontinued after the Congress came to power. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Entrevista exclusiva: a verdade sobre o magnésio que ninguém te contou AlwaysFit Undo He also accused the govt of diverting SC/ST welfare funds to finance its guarantee schemes. The Congress govt is directly responsible for the injustice to the SC/ST communities, he said. Poojary lashes out at Kharge The MP took objection to AICC president Mallikarjun Kharge's reference to the "Chut-Put War" remark and "Namma Pakistan" during the Sadhana Samavesha. He questioned the chief minister's silence on controversial remarks made by MLA Kothur Manjunath about military actions. "Congress is quick to allege security lapses in the Pahalgam incident. Will they make the same claims about the assassinations of former Prime Ministers Indira Gandhi, Rajiv Gandhi, or the Mumbai terror attacks?" he asked. Poojary alleged that the govt was trying to silence the opposition by filing FIRs against those who question the govt, with reference to the cases filed against Dr Arun Ullal, Puneet Kerehalli, Chakravarthi Sulibele, MLA Harish Poonja and others. When asked about the rowdy-sheet case booked against Suhas Shetty during Kota's tenure as Dakshina Kannada district minister, he clarified that such files never reach the minister's desk. To a query on Madhya Pradesh minister's comments against Colonel Sofiya Qureshi, he said, "The BJP has always stood by the armed forces and nationalism. We will not speak against the military. The party will take appropriate action."
