1. Chief Minister Siddaramaiah presents the Karnataka budget today, the first full-fledged one in his current term and the 15th in his political career. All eyes are on the budget given that it comes months ahead of the Lok Sabha elections and amidst the ongoing debate on devolution of funds between the Centre and States. How he will find the resources to fund the five guarantee schemes and what measures are in the offing to mitigate the prevailing drought condition are being watched keenly.
2. Karnataka High Court is likely to issue interim verdict today on the petition filed by T. Veena, daughter of Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, seeking to quash the probe by the Serious Fraud Investigation Office into the financial transactions by her IT firm Exalogic.
3. Department of Kannada and Culture is organising Savitha Maharshi birth anniversary programme today. Chief Minister Siddaramaiah will inaugurate the programme in the presence of Savithananda swamiji of Savitha Peeta. The event will be held at Ravindra Kalakshetra on J.C Road at 5 p.m.
4. The two-day international conference on “Dual transition of net zero carbon and digital transformation”, organised by the Bengaluru City University and Birmingham City University, United Kingdom, will be inaugurated today. Kamal Bali, president and managing director, Volvo Group, participates as the chief guest. Prof. Lingaraja Gandhi, Vice-Chancellor, Bengaluru City University, presides over the event at Jnana Jyothi Auditorium, Bengaluru City University premises, on Dr. Ambedkar Veedhi, 9.30 a.m. onwards.
From coastal Karnataka
1. A two-day international conference on “Mining for greener future: technological developments and sustainable practices” organised by the National Institute of Technology – Karnataka, Mangaluru, begins today. Manoj Kumar, Chairman and Managing Director, Central Mine Planning and Design Institute Limited inaugurates at 10.30 a.m.
2. BJP in Mangaluru to protest registration of a case against Mangaluru City North MLA Y. Bharat Shetty in connection with the protest staged against St. Gerosa English Higher Primary School on February 12, after a teacher was accused of making derogatory remarks against Lord Ram and Hindu religion. The BJP claims a false case has been registered as the MLA was not present at the protest.
From north Karnataka
With government issuing preliminary notification for bifurcation of Belagavi and Tumakuru districts, activists from Athani and Bailhongal in Belagavi have begun a campaign demanding that their towns to be the headquarters of the new districts. Using powers under Sub-section 1 and 2 of Section 5 of the Registration Act, 1908, the government has issued a notification to alter the limits and reconstitute districts Tumakuru and Belagavi. There has been a demand for carving out two more districts out of Belagavi — Gokak and Chikkodi. There has been a demand for creating Madhugiri district from Tumakuru district.
