Latest from New Indian Express
New Indian Express
27 minutes ago
- Politics
- New Indian Express
BJP reshuffles Puducherry unit, minister and three MLAs step down ahead of 2026 polls
PUDUCHERRY: The BJP on Friday initiated a major reshuffle in its Puducherry unit ahead of the 2026 Assembly elections, with Adi Dravidar Welfare Minister A K Sai Saravanan Kumar resigning from the N Rangasamy-led cabinet, and three nominated MLAs — V P Ramalingam, K Venkatesan, and R B Ashok Babu — stepping down. The resignations were directed by the party's central leadership as part of a strategy to bring in new faces in the run-up to the polls. Puducherry is the BJP's only stronghold in South India, where it governs in alliance with the AINRC. Sai Saravanan Kumar, the lone Dalit minister in the cabinet, confirmed he had stepped down on the party's instructions. 'I was appointed minister on June 27 at the direction of PM Narendra Modi. I have now resigned following his directive,' he said. Assembly Speaker R Selvam confirmed that the resignations of the three nominated MLAs had been accepted and forwarded to L-G K Kailashnathan for submission to the Union Ministry of Home Affairs. BJP Puducherry in-charge Nirmal Kumar Surana said the party has finalised three names for the vacant nominated MLA posts. Those in consideration include S Rajasekaran, former Congress MLA E Theepainjan and D Selvam, current BJP vice-president.
New Indian Express
27 minutes ago
- Business
- New Indian Express
Bottle buy-back system a failure in Tasmac outlets in Coimbatore
COIMBATORE: The operation of unauthorised bars near Tasmac outlets has tied the hands of employees, as they are unable to affix the hologram sticker, which is necessary for the liquor bottle buy-back scheme, implemented by Tasmac after a Madras High Court direction. Sources said almost two-thirds of the 286 bars attached with outlets in the district have been functioning out of contract. A Tasmac outlet supervisor attached to Coimbatore South, who did not wish to be named, said, "Bar contractors can take the bottles to the bar and store them and sell it to anyone. As unauthorised bars cannot store and sell bottles, those should be maintained by employees and handed over to the firm which has got the contract. As most bars attached to outlets in the district are operating without renewing their contract, bottles are not be stored in the bars. That makes employees refrain from sticking the Rs 10 hologram." "Despite not pasting stickers and collecting empty bottles, supervisors of the shops are required to pay Rs 3 per bottle to the contractor, who is supposed to collect empty bottles. Without performing their duty, the private firm receives money from Tasmac, which is borne by employees of the outlets," he added. Officials contact the supervisors and instruct them to clear the total amount, which would come into lakhs each month, leaving the salespersons with no choice, other than to collect an extra of Rs 10 per bottle from customers, he further said. A John, the secretary of Tasmac employees union affiliated to CITU said, "The buy-back system was implemented to prevent disposal of empty bottles in open areas as per the High Court's order. However, the system is not followed in outlets due to structural level failure in the administration. Without correction of flaws, the buy-back system would not attain its objective and salespersons and customers will have to bear the brunt." Speaking to TNIE, R Govindharasu, senior Regional Manager of Tasmac, Coimbatore said, "The buy-back system was implemented partially in the district. We have instructed the employees to follow the norm. I will also look into the matter."
New Indian Express
27 minutes ago
- General
- New Indian Express
Five years on, Tiruchy museum renovation still in limbo
TIRUCHY: The State Archaeology Department started renovation of Rani Mangammal's Darbar Hall, which acts as the government museum, started five years ago, but very little progress has been made so far. The museum was relocated from Cantonment to the Darbar Hall in 1998. Historians expressed concerns that hundreds of invaluable artefacts – ranging from stone sculptures and coins to palm-leaf manuscripts – that are cramped up in a single room to facilitate the renovation work could get irrevocably damaged without adequate protective measures. The State Archaeology Department approached the Union government with a proposal to restore the building, built in the 16th century by King Chokkanatha Nayak, after frescoes and decorative elements began to fade and in some places disappeared entirely. In response, the union government sanctioned Rs 3.75 crore under the Museum Grants Scheme in 2019 to renovate the hall. The first phase included cementing and interior painting, which were completed. However, due to the COVID-19 lock downs, the work came to a halt, and has not resumed. Open-air exhibits are particularly at risk. Several rare sculptures and historical objects, including a four-foot-tall Buddha statue, a 10th-century Mahaveer sculpture, 14th-century Pallava artefacts, an East India Company cannon, and idols of Hindu gods and goddesses, are exposed to the elements. Dr R Kalaikovan, director of the Dr Rajamanickanar Historical Research Centre, said his team had handed over 16 granite sculptures, including those of Buddha, Mahaveer, and Chola-period artefacts, to the museum. 'All the sculptures and artefacts must be preserved properly so this historical legacy can be passed on to future generations. If timely action is not taken, we risk losing our history,' he warned. Kalaikovan stressed that there is ample space around the hall for expansion and urged the district administration to allocate land within the premises for protective storage and display. He also opposed the proposal to shift the museum to Panjapur. 'The current location is ideal, surrounded by schools and colleges. Since the land is already government-owned, there's no need to relocate. Even the Madras Museum was expanded at its original site,' he added. Speaking to P Manimuthu, Curator of the Government Museum, told TNIE, 'We are waiting for funds to be released by the government. Once the funds are sanctioned, the work will be completed. We have already submitted the request.'
New Indian Express
28 minutes ago
- Business
- New Indian Express
Apprenticeship-based degree courses soon in Bengaluru
BENGALURU: The state government will introduce apprenticeship-based degree programmes and revamp university syllabus with inputs from industry experts, Higher Education Minister MC Sudhakar said. Speaking at the valedictory session of the Global Women Entrepreneurs Summit here, Dr Sudhakar said these measures aim to align higher education with industry demands and ensure students are better prepared for the job market. He said the state took a step in this direction last year by launching a unique degree programme with apprenticeship. Courses such as BCom in Logistics, Retail, E-commerce, and Banking and Finance will be offered under this programme. 'Students will undergo apprenticeships during their fifth and sixth semesters. This ensures that by the time they graduate, they are industry-ready,' he added. The government is now expanding this apprenticeship model programme and collaborating with industry partners to redesign the curriculum in government institutions, making it more dynamic and responsive to technological changes, he said. He stressed the need for a systemic shift in the approach to education stating that the present education system is not conducive to support industrial growth. 'We are seriously addressing this by focusing more on skilling and entrepreneurship,' he said. Dr Sudhakar said it was heartening to see the rising number of women entrepreneurs in Karnataka. 'In a male-dominated society, it is inspiring to see women succeeding in large numbers. In many educational institutions, nearly 70% of gold medals are bagged by girls,' he added. He said Bengaluru has adequate infrastructure to support innovation, as seen in its flourishing startup ecosystem and robust IT sector. But academic institutions must keep pace with industry needs. 'With technology evolving rapidly, education must also evolve. Industry inputs are crucial to keep the syllabus relevant,' he said.
New Indian Express
28 minutes ago
- Politics
- New Indian Express
60,000-seater multi-purpose stadium to come up in Bengaluru
BENGALURU: A new multi-purpose stadium will be constructed in Bengaluru with a seating capacity of 60,000 for which the government has already identified around 50 acres of land, announced Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar. The announcement comes three weeks after the stampede outside M Chinnaswamy Stadium on June 4 during the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) victory celebrations, which claimed 11 lives. Speaking at the 516th birth anniversary celebration of Nadaprabhu Kempegowda organised by the Department Kannada and Culture Department, Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) and Nadaprabhu Kempegowda Development Authority here on Friday, Shivakumar said that three places have been identified for the project by former MP DK Suresh and the project may require up to 50 acres of land. 'The preparations for the project is in full swing,' he added. Shivakumar, who also holds the portfolio of Bengaluru Development, said, 'Developing Bengaluru is not easy as its population has been increasing. We have launched a 40-km tunnel road, planned a network of flyovers spanning 118-km, and lined up Rs 1 lakh crore worth projects in the next three to four years.' Noting that the government is stressing on creating a clean Bengaluru, the DCM said, 'We're determined to dismantle the garbage mafia. Waste generated in Bengaluru should be handled within Bengaluru without burdening other districts.' Before the event, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah laid the foundation stone for the Kempegowda Bhavan at Sumanahalli Circle. He assured that the building will be constructed at the earliest and that he himself will inaugurate it upon completion. Spatikapuri Mahasamsthana Mutt head Nanjavadhuta Swamiji, also present at the event, urged the government to include Kempegowda's contributions in school curriculums and proposed that a major university be named after him to educate future generations about the city's visionary founder.
