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Hans India
17 hours ago
- Business
- Hans India
BDA slashes initial deposit by 50% for flats, sites and villas
Bengaluru: In a major relief to property buyers, the Bangalore Development Authority (BDA) has reduced the initial deposit amount by 50% for purchasing residential flats, plots (sites), and villas in its developed layouts across the city. Previously, buyers from the general category were required to pay 25% of the total property value as an initial deposit, while those from Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (SC/ST) were required to pay 10%. With the revised decision, the new initial deposit now stands at 12.5% for the general category and 5% for SC/ST applicants. This move comes after the BDA had hiked the initial deposit amount from May 1 of this year, which led to a significant drop in demand. Earlier, BDA was recording 5–6 online bookings per day, but post the increase, there was a visible decline in interest. Many customers had raised concerns that paying 25% upfront was financially burdensome and made it difficult to secure housing loans from banks afterward. Responding to public feedback and financial challenges faced by prospective buyers, BDA has now reverted to its previous rates to ease the buying process and encourage more home ownership. To promote the revised offer, BDA will be organizing a Housing Fair on June 21 from 9 AM to 5 PM at its Kaniminike Housing Complex. Various nationalized banks will be present at the venue to assist customers with loan facilities on the spot. Dr. A. Lokesh, BDA Financial Member, stated that the reduction in the initial deposit will help lessen the financial burden on buyers and boost housing sales. He confirmed that the deposit amount was reduced following strong public initiative is expected to revive interest in BDA properties and make them more accessible to a larger section of the population.
India Today
a day ago
- Politics
- India Today
Why RJD chose an EBC as state president
As Bihar prepares for its most decisive political carnival, democracy asserts itself as part pageant, part arithmetic. Pitted against a formidable five-party National Democratic Alliance (NDA), Tejashwi Yadav of the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) has deployed a stratagem as old as power: if you cannot disarm your adversaries, win over their followers. Thus, sending ripples through Bihar's mud-brick constituencies and bamboo-scaffolded villages, the RJD has anointed veteran socialist leader and former MP Mangani Lal Mandal—a scion of the Dhanuk caste, listed among the Extremely Backward Classes (EBCs)—as its new state 76, Mandal brings not only a lifetime of political odyssey but, crucially, fresh momentum to RJD plans to penetrate the votes of the EBCs, a sprawling coalition of 112 castes accounting for some 36.01 per cent of Bihar's this calculus steps Mandal with his Dhanuk cohort—2.21 per cent of the state's population, yet among the top five EBC groups in density, concentrated in districts such as Madhubani, Supaul, Patna and Nalanda, and holding significant numbers in over a dozen others. Since CM Nitish Kumar introduced 20 per cent reservation for EBCs in Panchayat bodies in January 2006, these communities have formed the chief prop beneath the Janata Dal (United) canopy. But politics is mutable, and Tejashwi's gamble is to wrest that foundation from beneath Kumar's feet, repurposing it for the INDIA alliance's prospects in the assembly polls slated for October and this end, the RJD's organisational elections—a meticulous choreography conducted from the block to district levels over the past four months—have been as much about ritual representation as realpolitik. In each district, a patchwork of quotas ensured that Scheduled Castes (SCs), Scheduled Tribes (STs) and the EBCs themselves saw their leaders elevated; yet for the state presidency, only one name was ever With no one contesting his nomination, Mandal will formally step into the role vacated by Jagdanand Singh, a Thakur leader and longtime Lalu Prasad confidante who, sources say, simply 'expressed his unwillingness' to carry on. Singh's resignation, accepted with all the solemnity of a ritual libation, cleared the path for Mandal's uncontested ascendancy—an outcome that signals both the RJD's urgency in courting the EBC bloc and its confidence in the Dhanuk veteran's ability to deliver his supporters to the polling the casual observer, Mandal might seem an unlikely standard-bearer. Born and bred in the Kosi and Mithilanchal regions, his political life has been rooted in the very soil of parochial identities. He first cut his teeth under Karpoori Thakur, the inadvertently eponymous architect of Bihar's own affirmative politics, earning a seat in the Legislative Council in 1986 as a Lok Dal nominee. For 18 years, until 2004, Mandal represented his caste's interests from the council benches, even securing a ministerial portfolio in the RJD government of the 1990s. Yet, while contemporaries Lalu and Nitish ascended to the national stage, Mandal's orbit remained confined—respected but regional, influential yet never 2004, a new chapter began when he crossed the floor to join Nitish's JD(U), which promptly dispatched him to the Rajya Sabha. Five years later, he contested—and won—the Jhanjharpur Lok Sabha seat for the JD(U), only to surrender it in a series of capricious realignments: a return to the RJD, another defection to JD(U) just before the 2019 polls, and a vice-presidency in the latter's national hierarchy. Each switch, while sharpening whispered accusations of opportunism, underscored one immutable truth: Mandal, for all his electoral vicissitudes, remains one of the most relevant EBC relevance is now the RJD's greatest currency. Aware that Muslims (17.7 per cent of voters) and Yadavs (14.26 per cent) alone cannot clinch victory in Bihar's bipolar contest, the party's leadership has crafted a strategy to cobble together enough disparate blocs to forestall a straight fight between the INDIA alliance and the BJP-JD(U) Prashant Kishor's Jan Suraaj succeed in siphoning votes from both alliances, Bihar could be plunged into a three-cornered contest—leaving the two major coalitions, the NDA and INDIA, scrambling to secure an outright majority—precisely the sort of impasse in which the RJD might finally flourish beyond the confines of a straight bipolar fight with the NDA. Jan Suraaj, though, remains a mercurial entity—its tactics unpredictable, its grassroots machinery still in its infancy—so the RJD must hedge its bets by fortifying its own placing Mandal at the helm in Patna, the RJD signals not only a gesture of inclusion but a declaration of intent: to traverse caste hierarchies from the Yadav pulpit down to the most marginalised to reflect on his unopposed elevation, Mandal adopted the deferential tone of a seasoned cadre. 'It is a matter of great honour,' he told reporters, 'and a challenge and responsibility in this election year. I am deeply thankful to national president Lalu Prasad and Leader of Opposition Tejashwi Yadav for this trust.' His words, though circumspect, belie the knowing confidence of one who has navigated power's labyrinth for decades. For beneath the courteous veneer lies a lifetime of electoral tunnel vision—an acute understanding of micro-majorities, vote swings and the art of coalition-building at the booth senior RJD insider put it bluntly: 'Mangani Lal Mandal is our most credible EBC face. His election sends a strong message that RJD practises A-to-Z politics.' It is a nod to inclusivity without excluding any particular caste or community, but the shorthand here is unmistakable: weaponise representation to deter defection. In Bihar, where every leader's loyalty is measured in inches of margin and percentages of turnout, such signalling can prove October, when the polls open and placards flutter above the looming speaker-nests in village squares, it will be the ground game that delivers or defeats the INDIA alliance. Will Mandal's presence—zinc-grey hair gleaming beneath a folded cap—animate the EBCs to rally behind the RJD? Can he, with his measured gait and supple courtroom rhetoric, translate personal gravitas into collective mobilisation? Only then will one know whether Tejashwi's gambit has shifted Bihar's electoral geometry or merely reshuffled its entrenched fault now, the appointment stands as one of Tejashwi's boldest moves since assuming the RJD's de facto leadership. It marries the iconography of socialist stalwarts to the impulse of youthful ambition—and positions the party to lay claim to the very constituency that once seemed secured by its chief rival. In the end, Mandal's mantle is more than ceremonial: it is the newest weapon in an unfolding contest where every caste, every community and every vote warrant strategic consideration. And in Bihar, strategy is not an abstraction but a daily, door-to-door endeavour, measured in the hum of two-strokes, the sway of cadences and the muster of hands at the to India Today Magazine
The Hindu
a day ago
- Politics
- The Hindu
We'll submit regional imbalance report based on development indicators, says Govinda Rao
The Karnataka State Committee for Redressal of Regional Imbalance will evaluate district-level development based on multiple sectoral indicators and submit a comprehensive report to the government, committee chairperson M. Govinda Rao has said Presiding over a district-level review meeting at the Deputy Commissioner's office in Hosapete on Wednesday, Prof. Rao stated that the committee will examine in which sectors the district lagged behind and what changes will be necessary to address development imbalances. He referred to the landmark 2002 report by D.M. Nanjundappa which classified the then 176 taluks of Karnataka into four categories — developed, backward, more backward and most backward — and recommended allocation of funds accordingly. 'Following this classification, the State government spent ₹31,000 crore on the development of identified backward taluks. The current assessment will be indicator-based. It will help us understand to what extent development has taken place as a result of implementing the Nanjundappa report. If any region continues to remain backward, we will study the reasons — be it in income, education, healthcare or other sectors,' Prof. Rao said. The State government, he added, constituted a committee of economic experts in September 2024 to take the initiative forward and the committee will identify development indicators across various domains such as agriculture, industry, financial and technical infrastructure, economic growth and social services. Prof. Rao emphasised the importance of industrial development in the district to generate employment for local youth and to reduce migration. He noted that several programmes are being considered for the holistic development of the region. Speaking on the occasion, Kudligi MLA N.T. Srinivas said that his constituency has a large population of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes. He called for the appointment of adequately trained teachers based on student numbers in government schools. He also stressed the need for enhancing skill development training for local youth and to promote tourism in the region, given its rich religious and natural heritage. Harapanahalli MLA Latha Mallikarjun underscored the need to improve basic infrastructure in urban areas and said that efforts must be made to stop outward migration. She pointed out the existence of 38 tribal tandas (settlements) in her constituency that require focused development. She also flagged the shortage of doctors in government hospitals and urged for prioritisation of employment generation, support to farmers and improvements in the health and education sectors. Hosapete MLA H.R. Gaviyappa noted that tourism will play a pivotal role in boosting the district's economy. He called for improved infrastructure in tourist hotspots, including the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Hampi, and advocated for the establishment of new industries, including sugar factories. 'Better support prices for farmers crops, expanded irrigation facilities and the setting up of super-speciality hospitals, medical colleges and small-scale industries at the district headquarters will facilitate the development. The development of educational infrastructure, promotion of student engagement in sports, agro-based industries and revival of the silk industry also play a key role,' he said. Deputy Commissioner M.S. Divakar, along with committee members S.T. Bagalkote and Sangeetha Katti, were present in the meeting.
India Today
a day ago
- Politics
- India Today
Karnataka Cabinet approves 15% housing quota for Muslims across state
The Karnataka Cabinet accepted a proposal to increase reservation for the Muslim community under its housing schemes. The move will apply to all housing schemes implemented by the Urban and Rural Development Departments across the Minister Zameer Ahmed Khan backed the proposal, which seeks to raise the reservation for minority communities from the current 10 per cent to 15 per course, we have to go by the population. There is a large urban population, and many minorities and poor people are part of it. In urban areas, a lot of minorities are present,' DK Shivakumar said, defending the move. 'Housing has been vacant, and we couldn't allocate it to others. That's why they requested 10–15 percent,' he said, pointing to towns like Mandya, where entire towers built under housing schemes are still empty. 'Try Mandya, on the left side, there are 7–9 towers where no one has gone to live. At least minorities are willing to occupy those buildings,' he added.'Even in Bengaluru, many houses remain vacant. Whom should we give them to? It's a big problem. We've constructed houses, but no one has occupied them,' he said, adding that minorities have long requested this increase. 'In the past 7 years, they proposed this, and we agreed.'advertisementBacking the decision, Minister MC Sudhakar added that the Centre already provides 15 per cent allocation for minorities, and Karnataka is aligning with that. 'It's the allocation of houses for minorities. Central government has 15 per cent and we have increased it to 15 per cent,' he Minister HK Patil echoed the government's commitment to equitable housing. ''Housing for All' is the key slogan of the Congress government, and we are committed to ensuring that every citizen has access to a home,' he added that many houseless individuals belong to downtrodden communities and minorities, and the decision to increase the quota reflects this ground reality. 'The government is firm in its stand that all houseless individuals, regardless of their community, should be provided with housing,' he SLAMS MOVE AS UNCONSTITUIONALThe BJP has strongly criticised the decision, calling it religion-based and unconstitutional. Union Minister Pralhad Joshi accused the Congress-led government of violating Supreme Court rulings and resorting to appeasement politics.'The Supreme Court has clearly said religion-based reservation is illegal. But the Karnataka government has now given 15 per cent reservation to Muslims in the housing scheme,' Joshi said. He alleged that the Congress, under Rahul Gandhi's direction, has implemented what was "on paper 4 per cent " as "actually 15 per cent.'advertisement'This affects the rights of Scheduled Castes (SCs), Scheduled Tribes (STs), and Other Backward Classes (OBCs) communities. I strongly condemn it. They are snatching away the rights of the deserving and handing them out under appeasement,' he added, warning that the BJP would consider legal action after MLC CT Ravi also weighed in, invoking the Constitution. 'Ambedkar had opposed religion-based reservations. But here in Karnataka, the Congress is bringing that into housing schemes too,' he said.4% RESERVATION IN PUBLIC CONTRACTSThis move follows the government's proposal to extend quota benefits for Muslims in contract allocations, suggesting a broader push for increased community-specific welfare Karnataka Transparency in Public Procurements (Amendment) Bill, 2025, aims to provide 4 per cent reservation for Muslims in government contracts of under Rs 2 crore. The bill was passed in the Karnataka Legislative Assembly on March 21 amidst significant turmoil and opposition from BJP returning it twice, Karnataka Governor confirmed on May 22 that he has already forwarded the bill for the President's 'kind consideration' under Article Minister Narendra Modi accused the Congress government in Karnataka of granting reservations in tenders based on religion, alleging that the move 'snatched the rights of SCs, STs, and OBCs'.Tune InMust Watch IN THIS STORY#Karnataka
The Hindu
2 days ago
- General
- The Hindu
DU launches JAIHIND scheme to upskill ST students from across country
Delhi University has launched an initiative to impart basic computer skills and training for higher education, including the application process for the Common University Entrance Test (CUET), to Scheduled Tribes (ST) students from Classes 9 to 12 across India, particularly those living in remote parts. The Janajati Immersive Holistic Intervention for Novel Development (JAIHIND) scheme's first batch of 25 students, including 12 girls and 13 boys from the Ukhrul district of Manipur, selected on the basis of their academic merit, started their training on Tuesday. The inaugural two-week programme will continue till June 29, said Vice-Chancellor Yogesh Singh. Since CUET was mandated for undergraduate admissions to Central universities in 2022, the academic community has been raising concerns that the computer-based test and form-filling process may hinder the higher education prospects of students from marginalised communities. In 2023, University Grants Commission (UGC) data revealed that only 50.5% of the ST candidates who had registered for the exam appeared for it, raising concerns about accessibility. In the following year, the UGC did not release category-wise data. Professor K. Ratnabali, Dean, Academic Affairs, told The Hindu that the cost of accommodation and travel is being borne by the university. 'We are planning on making it an annual programme, where students from the ST communities across the country will be trained in various skills. We are also planning to send our teachers to remote areas,' she said. She added, 'We decided to include a CUET orientation and computer training because sometimes, students who do not have computers at home log in from cybercafes, losing out on important communication from the university regarding admissions. We are preparing them on filling the forms as these students will soon be applying to colleges.' During the launch of the scheme on Tuesday, the Vice-Chancellor said that detailed information on CUET will be given to students for 'better access to higher education'.
