BENGALURU: Transport Minister Ramalinga Reddy said that pilgrims from Karnataka will be sent on Kashi darshan under the government’s Kashi Yatra scheme, from July. Over 600 pilgrims will be sent.
Reddy told TNIE: “Muzrai department heads have held talks with the Railway officials to send devotees on a round trip to Kashi from the second week of July.” Muzrai department officials said that the government had to stop the Kashi round trip package, which included Prayagraj and Ayodhya, from April 14 due to the model code of conduct.
The department returned Rs 15,000 to each pilgrim who had booked tickets. The package costs Rs 20,000 and the government will give Rs 5,000 to each pilgrim. “Pilgrims have to log into the IRCTC website and pay Rs 15,000. The government will pay the rest. The train will depart from Majestic,” said a senior official from the Muzrai department. Lauding the Congress government, KS Vishwanath Deeskhit, head priest, Mulabagilu Ganipathi Temple said, “There are many poor people who cannot afford it.”
Absorb pvt buses, staff into KSRTC: Forum to CM
KSRTC Staff and Workers Federation on Thursday wrote to CM Siddaramaiah, urging him to absorb the private buses and their staff, who have been hit by the Shakti scheme, into the bus corporations that was done by the Devaraj Urs’ government in 1976 after abolishing contract carriages. The federation also urged him to introduce buses to 2,500 villages.
In the letter, dated June 15, federation secretary, Vijay Bhaskar said, “As more women are shifting towards KSRTC from private buses, the drivers, operators, technical staff and others may lose their jobs. The bus owners who have invested are also in trouble”.
Recalling the measures taken by then CM Urs after abolishing the Contract Carriages Abolition Act 1976, Bhaskar said, “The private buses, including the staff, who were affected by the move were absorbed into KSRTC. Similarly, we request that private buses and their staff be absorbed into KSRTC.