Private buses in Belgaum, since the past 10 years or so had started pick up points in various parts of the city, especially Tilakwadi, Angol areas.

Now the traffic police have stopped the same as they these busses are causing traffic problems as they are parked on the road and that disturbs the traffic.

The police for this have booked 5 private busses. The police have asked the busses to start only form Hotel Ramdev and that there should be no pick up points in the city. Many travelers complained that by stopping this service it would be very difficult for them, as they would have to take an auto and auto charges Rs.100 from Angol to Ramdev. When complained to the police about this the police have said that if the auto does not ask fare by meter make a complaint to the police. Now you tell me friends when have you complained about the excess fare being charged to the police and when have the police responded to it.

So be prepared to shell more money for the auto to reach Ramdev to catch your bus.

Source: Times of India

The Lokayukta police on Tuesday seized Rs 22 crore. That is what Mahesh Shankar Hanumashetty, a motor vehicle inspector, is worth. In 17 years, this RTO official in Belgaum has made a fortune.

Mahesh Shankar Hanumashetty motor vehicle inspector, Belgaum Business in the name of M/s Popular Earth Movers in which his mother and brother-inlaw are directors. Company has 29 vehicles, including four crushers, eight JCBs, engaged in Orissa, Goa and Sandur, Karnataka. Also has mining plants worth Rs 1.25 crore and Rs 19 lakh, seven excavators worth Rs 47 lakh each, four dumpers worth Rs 31 lakh each and 2 two-wheelers, all worth Rs 20 crore. Five-storey commercial complex on Tilakawadi Main Road, Belgaum, in the name of mother Parvathi worth Rs 1 crore. Four-floor commercial complex on Tilakawadi Main Road, Belgaum, in mother’s name, worth Rs 80 lakh. Bank balance in salary account Rs 64,000. Lockers at ICICI, yet to be opened. Total: Rs 22.44 crore .

This Photo is From The Hindu. The two Buildings mentioned and seen in the photo are the AXIS bank Bldg and the Citi Financial Bldg(earlier Hotel Prashant) on Congress Road.

I have read all the english news papers, All have ,mentioned the RTO insoector from Belgaum as Mahesh Shankar Hanumashetty. But Actually his name is Mahesh Shankar HANAMSHET. May be this is another way of the Gov.Of Karnataka to impose Kannada on the people.

Source: The Hindu, Staff Correspondent Belgaum
Many government-aided schools collecting donations: KRV leader
Parents will also participate in the demonstration

‘Government should ensure transparency in admission process’

The Karnataka Rakshana Vedike (KRV) will hold a demonstration in front of the Deputy Commissioner’s office on Monday to protest against “donation menace” in English-medium schools in Belgaum city.

Parents will also participate in the demonstration, KRV district unit president Rajeev Topannavar said here on Sunday.
He said that many government-aided schools in the city were illegally collecting donations ranging up to Rs. 50,000 for admission to pre-primary and primary classes. Despite the State Government’s direction to Deputy Directors of Public Instruction to ensure that no school collected donations, no steps had been taken to check the menace, he said.
Donations were being collected in the name of third party to avoid action from the Government, Mr. Topannavar said.

The Government should either ensure that there was transparency in the admission process or take over the schools that were collecting donations, he added. K.U. Kumar, a parent told The Hindu on Sunday that some schools were demanding a minimum donation of Rs. 15,000 besides recommendation by influential persons for admission to LKG. The maximum donation being demanded was about Rs. 40,000, he said. The donation menace was rampant in English-medium schools, he said and added that some schools had increased the donation amount this year and were collecting it in the name of third party. In addition, the schools were collecting money for expansion fund and poor student fund which would add up to more than the tuition fee fixed by the Government.

Dyanoba B.P., a parent, said that providing education had become a business now days. “Private managements (including those of aided institutions) have converted the education system into a profit-earning venture as there is no one to control them,” he said.

Source: www.hinduonnet.com
Vijaykumar Patil
Promising freebies in manifestos is a corrupt practice: Left leader
Congress told to learn from the manifestos of Nehru and Indira
‘All parties treat voters as puppets and exploit them with gifts’

The Congress promise of colour TV sets (for below poverty line families), 25 kg of rice at Rs. 2 a kg and extension of the Yeshasvini health insurance scheme to all families holding green cards is being viewed as yet another corrupt practice but in disguise.
This action has invited criticism from a cross-section of society.
The latest cases of violations of the Model Code of Conduct where the State Election Commission authorities have reportedly seized more than Rs. 3 crore and served notice on a former Minister in Mandya and sari loads in Davangere and Channapatna purportedly meant for distribution among voters on Wednesday provide evidence to what the voters view as corrupt practice.Section 4
“It is indeed a corrupt practice as per Section 4 of the Model Code of Conduct but in disguise, it has been going on since long but only a few are caught, which does not mean that the others are pious,” says a Left leader A.R. Vijaykumar.
Of late, political parties and their candidates have come out with novel ideas to lure the voters and avoid the wrath of the Election Commission.

A former BJP MLA in Mysore reportedly distributed saris in his constituency a few weeks ago, well ahead of the announcement of the elections to the State Assembly.
As the code of conduct was not in force then, the question of its violation did not arise.

The Congress promise of colour TVs is as corrupt as the action of the former BJP MLA from Mysore or the former Minister in Mandya, Mr. Vijaykumar said.
By promising TVs in its manifesto, the Congress has only tried to avoid the provisions of the Model Code of Conduct.

He questioned the silence of the Election Commission and said the latter should take cognisance of reports in the media and seize the Congress manifesto.
The Congress should be asked to withdraw its manifesto and if the party fails to do so, the Election Commission should disqualify all its official candidates from taking part in the elections.
These parties and candidates have only made a mockery of the code of conduct by adopting such techniques to lure the gullible voters.
Suppose if the Congress starts distributing the same TVs now, would it not amount to violation of the code, he asked.
A Kannada poet, K.N. Doddamani, says all parties and a majority of the candidates have been treating voters as puppets and exploiting their precious votes through corrupt electoral practices — luring them with gifts, money, liquor, etc.
Serious issues concerning the electorate, such as price rise of essential commodities and health facilities, shrinking employment opportunities, corruption, lack of basic amenities in villages and the widening gap between the haves and have-nots have taken a back seat.
The one-point programme all parties is to somehow grab power and they prepared to go to any extent to achieve it. No party is an exception to such corrupt practice.
The poor man’s needs pertain to basic things such as food, drinking water, shelter, health, good education for their children and employment opportunities but not colour TVs.
When contacted, a senior leader in the Congress was hesitant yet acknowledged that the promise of TVs was corrupt in nature and a departure from the original philosophy behind an election manifesto.

National policies :Today’s Congress leaders should look back at the party’s manifestos announced by the former Prime Ministers Late Jawaharlal Nehru and Late Indira Gandhi, which spoke on national policies and objectives rather on such freebies.
By promising TVs, the Congress has only made a mockery of the party’s glorious past, he remarked but requested anonymity.

The picture is taken in St.Xavier’s School, Where the list of successful candidates for LKG has been put up. I was not so lucky to see my daughters name. This time the candidates were selected by lottery system and I missed the number by 2. Many missed by one. Being optimistic other parents also said “Chalta hai, still we have other schools” God Bless.