The area under forest cover in Karnataka has increased by four square kilometres, according to a latest report of the Forest Survey of India. It says the change has been noticed in the assessment year of 2009, compared to the survey carried out in 2008. The report was put in the public domain recently.

Sources in the State government told The Hindu that the change for the better was being seen for the first time in about a decade. What was noteworthy was that at a time when forests were being “plundered in terms of their flora and fauna and conservationists facing a tough challenge,” the increase, though negligible, marks a refreshing change.”

A Karnataka High Court-appointed committee has said the State Government should take up as top priority medical treatment of 68,000 children suffering from malnutrition.

The panel's Chairman and High Court Judge, Mr Justice N.K. Patil, said that many of these kids were in “end-stage” and told the Government to extend individual medical assistance rather than treating them uniformly.

Karnataka will implement modified National Rural Livelihood Mission (NRLM) in 20 taluks in five districts.

NRLM is a poverty-alleviating scheme formulated by the Union Government. The state government has renamed it as ‘Sanjeevini'.

“Karnataka has tweaked the mission to include social, financial and economic inclusion while rolling out the scheme in the districts,” said Ms Amita Prasad, Principal Secretary, Karnataka Rural Development and Panchayat Raj department.

Maharashtra government has agreed to release 2 thousand million cubic metres (TCM) of water from Dudhganga and Warna rivers to the border districts of Karnataka till the monsoon. In return, Karnataka would do necessary arrangement for the release of Almati backwater which can help overcome prevailing scarcity in Jat taluka of Sangli district in western Maharashtra. These decisions were taken at the meeting between the Maharashtra Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan and a delegation of Karnataka ministers comprising agriculture minister Umesh Katti and industries minister Murugesh Nirani.

The onset of summer has brought with it the fear of spread of H1N1 influenza.

As many as 200 cases have been reported in the neighbouring city of Pune and so far nine people have reportedly succumbed to the virus. These numbers and the lack of screening of passengers from Pune for H1N1 before they enter the city has put residents here at risk.

‘Outsourcing supply will see tariffs skyrocketing’

Day Two of the Bangalore World Water Summit saw a parallel summit being organised by Peoples Campaign for Right to Water, which sees a move to privatise water supply in the agenda of such meets.

In Karnataka, 2,500 farmers took their lives last year. But the BJP government is turning a blind eye to their plight, reports Imran Khan
Bitter harvest Boregowda’s son and daughter-in-law committed suicide due to a debt crisis

Government blamed for poor planning in implementing drinking water schemes

Mismanagement and lack of proper planning led to unfruitful expenditure of Rs 37 crore sanctioned under Rajiv Gandhi National Drinking Water Mission, besides denial of safe drinking water to the rural population, the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) report on local bodies has revealed.

In search of good governance that can make the running of their businesses smooth, over 500 industrialists and business aspirants from Maharashtra’s border district of Sangli are set to expand or start businesses in northern Karnataka.
Reportedly, 600 acres of land has been identified in Kagwad, Lokur, Shedbal and Athani villages in Belgaum district of Karnataka. However, the industrialists said that no formalities have been initiated in earmarking or acquiring the land.

State Bank of India commits investment of Rs 40,000 crore to fund projects

The State’s maiden international investment meet, exclusively for agriculture sector, on Thursday attracted proposals of over Rs 53,000 crore by 31 players in agri-business projects amid protests by farmers against private investment in farm and allied sectors.