1. Five guarantees will boost economic growth in short run: Mid-Year Review of State Finances
It is expected that the five guarantee schemes of the present Karnataka government would not only lead to distributive justice but also boost the economic growth of the State in the short run by increasing consumption, according to the Mid Year Review of State finances 2023-24 that was tabled in the Assembly on December 14.
However, with necessary structural reforms and enhanced Ease of Doing Business coupled with higher capital expenditure, the State is expected to maintain a high growth trajectory in the long run. The guarantee schemes will have a multiplier effect on local economy, while the free bus travel scheme is expected to improve participation of women in the labour force, the review says.
2. Karnataka government announces a slew of measures to end female foeticide
The Karnataka government on December 14, announced a series of measures to put an end to female foeticide, including amending the legislation concerned to make it more effective, formulating a new policy and setting up a State-level task force.
Health Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao said the above measures would be in addition to the CID probe that has already been ordered. He said District Health Officers (DHOs) have also been told to take up decoy operations once in three months to identify hospitals involved in carrying out female foeticide.
3. Assembly adopts Karnataka Prohibition of Violence Against Advocates Bill
The Karnataka Assembly adopted three Bills, including the Karnataka Prohibition of Violence Against Advocates Bill, that seeks to prohibit violence against advocates besides providing protection to them.
The Bill, piloted by Law Minister H.K. Patil, defines violence against advocates and also prescribes punishment with imprisonment for a term which may extend from six months to three years, or with a fine which may extend to ₹1 lakh or both.
4. Conduct pregnancy test in all rape cases and sexual offences on minor children: Karnataka HC
The High Court of Karnataka has directed conducting pregnancy test on every victim of rape and sexual offences under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, 2012, along with other mandatory medical examinations after registration of a First Information Report (FIR) on the alleged offences.
This measure will help to ascertain, among other relevant medical conditions, the gestation period for termination of pregnancy at the earliest, the physical and mental status of the victim, the ability to undergo medical termination of the pregnancy, and aggravating factors that will impinge upon the health and well-being of the victim, the Court said.
5. Two former BJP ministers and party MLC attend Congress dinner in Belagavi
Giving further room for speculation over their future political move, former BJP Ministers S.T. Somashekar and Shivaram Hebbar, and MLC A.H. Vishwanath attended the dinner organised following the Congress Legislative Party (CLP) meeting in Belagavi outskirts on December 13 night.
However, Congress sources clarified the BJP leaders did not participate in the CLP meeting. The two ministers — formerly with the Congress — and Mr. Vishwanath — formerly with the JD(S) — were part of a group of 17 Congress and JD(S) legislators who resigned, triggering the collapse of the 14-month-old JD(S)-Congress coalition government headed by H.D. Kumaraswamy in 2019.
6. KSRTC bags Global Sustainability Leadership award
Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) has won the Global Sustainability Leadership award instituted by World Sustainability Congress for its initiative of innovative refurbishing of buses.
KSRTC has successfully refurbished and deployed 720 buses as part of a sustainability project that focuses on expanding and upgrading the fleet of Sarige ordinary buses to cover extra kilometers without incurring additional maintenance costs.
