Transport Unions Call ‘Bengaluru Chalo’ Protest on Feb 19, Over 10,000 Workers Likely to Gather

Posted on by City Today News (City today.media)

Bengaluru: The Joint Action Committee (JAC) of employees’ unions from four state-run transport corporations, including the Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC), has announced a massive “Bengaluru Chalo” protest on February 19, pressing for the clearance of long-pending salary arrears and implementation of wage revision.

The protest, which was earlier deferred following the demise of veteran transport leader Comrade Ananth Subbarao, will now go ahead without further postponement, union leaders asserted at a press conference on Monday. More than 10,000 employees are expected to assemble at Freedom Park.

Prominent leaders, including Vijay Bhaskar of the KSRTC Staff and Workers Federation, Jayadeva Rajee Aras of the Akhila Karnataka State Road Transport Employees Federation, H.R. Jagadeesh of the Karnataka State Road Transport Employees Union, Gandasi Sadananda Swamy of Vishwa Karmikara Koota, and Rajendra Gowda, warned of an intensified agitation if demands remain unmet.

The unions are demanding release of 38 months’ wage arrears from January 1, 2020 to February 28, 2023, and implementation of a revised pay scale effective January 1, 2024, along with a four-year wage settlement. They allege that despite repeated assurances during earlier rounds of talks, including ahead of Deepavali and in August 2025, the government has failed to act.

While no official directive has been issued to suspend bus services, unions cautioned that operations may be affected if employees abstain from duty. With the combined debt of the four corporations reportedly crossing ₹7,000 crore, workers insist the government must urgently address their financial and service-related concerns.

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ವೈಜ್ಞಾನಿಕ ಆರೋಗ್ಯ ನಿರ್ವಹಣೆಗೆ ‘ಬಾಡಿ ಡೈನಾಮಿಕ್ಸ್’ ವಿಭಾಗ: ಭಾರತಿ ಜಜೂ ವೈದ್ಯಕೀಯ ನಿರ್ದೇಶಕಿ

Posted on by City Today News (City today.media)

ಬೆಂಗಳೂರು: ಸಮಗ್ರ ಹಾಗೂ ವೈಜ್ಞಾನಿಕ ಆಧಾರಿತ ಆರೋಗ್ಯ ಸೇವೆಗಳನ್ನು ಒದಗಿಸುವ ಉದ್ದೇಶದಿಂದ ಹ್ಯಾಪಿಯೆಸ್ಟ್ ಹೆಲ್ತ್ ಸಂಸ್ಥೆ ‘ಬಾಡಿ ಡೈನಾಮಿಕ್ಸ್’ ಎಂಬ ಹೊಸ ವಿಶೇಷ ವಿಭಾಗವನ್ನು ಆರಂಭಿಸಿದೆ. ಈ ವಿಭಾಗದ ವೈದ್ಯಕೀಯ ನಿರ್ದೇಶಕಿಯಾಗಿ ಅನುಭವಿ ತಜ್ಞೆ ಭಾರತಿ ಜಜೂ ಅವರನ್ನು ನೇಮಕ ಮಾಡಲಾಗಿದೆ.

ಮೂರು ದಶಕಗಳಿಗಿಂತ ಹೆಚ್ಚು ಕಾಲ ವೈದ್ಯಕೀಯ ಕ್ಷೇತ್ರದಲ್ಲಿ ಸೇವೆ ಸಲ್ಲಿಸಿರುವ ಭಾರತಿ ಜಜೂ ಅವರು ಆಕ್ಯುಪೇಷನಲ್ ಥೆರಪಿ ಕ್ಷೇತ್ರದಲ್ಲಿ ವಿಶಾಲ ಅನುಭವ ಹೊಂದಿದ್ದಾರೆ. ಹೊಸದಾಗಿ ಆರಂಭಿಸಿರುವ ಈ ವಿಭಾಗವು ಎರ್ಗೋನಾಮಿಕ್ಸ್, ಫಿಸಿಯೋಥೆರಪಿ ಮತ್ತು ಯೋಗದ ಸಮನ್ವಯದ ಮೂಲಕ ಸಮಗ್ರ ಪುನಶ್ಚೇತನ ಸೇವೆಗಳನ್ನು ಒದಗಿಸಲಿದೆ. ಕೇವಲ ಸಾಮಾನ್ಯ ವೆಲ್‌ನೆಸ್‌ಗೆ ಸೀಮಿತವಾಗದೇ, ವೈಜ್ಞಾನಿಕ ವಿಧಾನಗಳ ಮೂಲಕ ಆರೋಗ್ಯ ನಿರ್ವಹಣೆ ಹಾಗೂ ಉದ್ಯೋಗ ಸ್ಥಳಗಳಲ್ಲಿ ಶಾರೀರಿಕ ಸಾಮರ್ಥ್ಯವನ್ನು ಹೆಚ್ಚಿಸುವುದು ಇದರ ಮುಖ್ಯ ಉದ್ದೇಶವಾಗಿದೆ.

ಈ ಕುರಿತು ಹ್ಯಾಪಿಯೆಸ್ಟ್ ಹೆಲ್ತ್ ಸಂಸ್ಥೆಯ ಅಧ್ಯಕ್ಷ ಹಾಗೂ ಮುಖ್ಯ ಕಾರ್ಯತಂತ್ರ ಅಧಿಕಾರಿ Ashok Soota ಅವರು ಮಾತನಾಡಿ, “ಬಾಡಿ ಡೈನಾಮಿಕ್ಸ್ ವಿಭಾಗವನ್ನು ವೈಜ್ಞಾನಿಕ ಆರೋಗ್ಯ ವ್ಯವಸ್ಥೆಯಾಗಿ ರೂಪಿಸಲಾಗಿದೆ. ಆರೋಗ್ಯ ಜಾಗೃತಿ ಇದ್ದರೂ ಅದನ್ನು ಅನುಸರಿಸುವವರ ಸಂಖ್ಯೆ ಕಡಿಮೆ. ಈ ಹಿನ್ನೆಲೆಯಲ್ಲಿ ಆರೋಗ್ಯವನ್ನು ಶಾಸ್ತ್ರೀಯವಾಗಿ ಹೇಗೆ ಕಾಪಾಡಬೇಕು, ಪುನಶ್ಚೇತನವನ್ನು ಹೇಗೆ ಸುಧಾರಿಸಬೇಕು ಎಂಬುದಕ್ಕೆ ಸಮಗ್ರ ವೇದಿಕೆ ನಿರ್ಮಿಸುವುದು ನಮ್ಮ ಉದ್ದೇಶ. ಮುಂದಿನ ವರ್ಷಗಳಲ್ಲಿ ಬೆಂಗಳೂರಿನ ವಿವಿಧ ಭಾಗಗಳಲ್ಲಿ ಕ್ಲಿನಿಕ್‌ಗಳು, ಕಾರ್ಪೊರೇಟ್ ಎರ್ಗೋನಾಮಿಕ್ಸ್ ಸೇವೆಗಳು ಹಾಗೂ ಫಿಸಿಯೋ-ಯೋಗ ಕೇಂದ್ರಗಳನ್ನು ಹಂತ ಹಂತವಾಗಿ ವಿಸ್ತರಿಸುವ ಯೋಜನೆ ಹೊಂದಿದ್ದೇವೆ. ಭಾರತಿ ಅವರ ನಾಯಕತ್ವ ನಮ್ಮ ಈ ದಿಸೆಯನ್ನು ಬಲಪಡಿಸಲಿದೆ,” ಎಂದು ತಿಳಿಸಿದ್ದಾರೆ.

ಸಂಸ್ಥೆಯ ಸಹಾಧ್ಯಕ್ಷ ಹಾಗೂ ಮುಖ್ಯ ಕಾರ್ಯನಿರ್ವಹಣಾಧಿಕಾರಿ ಡೇವಿಸ್ ಕರೇಡನ್ ಮಾತನಾಡಿ, “ನಮ್ಮ ಸೇವೆಯ ಮೂಲ ತತ್ವ ಮಾನವೀಯ ಸ್ಪರ್ಶ. ಕ್ಲಿನಿಕ್‌ಗಳಲ್ಲಿ ‘ಅತಿಥಿ ಅನುಭವ’ಕ್ಕೆ ಆದ್ಯತೆ ನೀಡುತ್ತೇವೆ. ಪ್ರತಿಯೊಬ್ಬರೂ ಬೆಂಬಲ ಮತ್ತು ವಿಶ್ವಾಸದ ಭಾವನೆ ಹೊಂದುವಂತೆ ಸೇವೆ ನೀಡುವುದು ನಮ್ಮ ಗುರಿ. ಭಾರತಿ ಅವರ ಅನುಭವವು ವೈಯಕ್ತಿಕ ಹಾಗೂ ಕಾರ್ಪೊರೇಟ್ ಆರೋಗ್ಯ ಪರಿಹಾರಗಳನ್ನು ಪರಿಣಾಮಕಾರಿಯಾಗಿ ತಲುಪಿಸಲು ಸಹಕಾರಿಯಾಗಲಿದೆ,” ಎಂದು ಹೇಳಿದರು.

ವೈದ್ಯಕೀಯ ನಿರ್ದೇಶಕಿ ಭಾರತಿ ಜಜೂ ಅವರು, “ಹ್ಯಾಪಿಯೆಸ್ಟ್ ಹೆಲ್ತ್ ತಂಡವನ್ನು ಸೇರಿಕೊಳ್ಳುವುದು ಸಂತೋಷದ ವಿಷಯ. ಪುರಾವೆ ಆಧಾರಿತ ಎರ್ಗೋನಾಮಿಕ್ಸ್, ವರ್ತನಾ ವಿಜ್ಞಾನ ಮತ್ತು ಪುನಶ್ಚೇತನದ ಮೂಲಕ ಉದ್ಯೋಗ ಸ್ಥಳ ಹಾಗೂ ವೈಯಕ್ತಿಕ ಜೀವನದಲ್ಲಿ ಆರೋಗ್ಯ ಸುಧಾರಿಸುವತ್ತ ಗಮನ ಹರಿಸುತ್ತೇನೆ,” ಎಂದು ಅಭಿಪ್ರಾಯಪಟ್ಟರು.

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Urgent Call to Enact Rohith Vemula Act as Campaign Alleges Delay by Karnataka Government

Posted on by City Today News (City today.media)

Bengaluru: A coalition of civil society groups, student unions, academics and lawyers under the banner Campaign for Rohith Act has urged the Karnataka government to immediately release the draft of the proposed Rohith Vemula Act for public consultation and commit to a clear timeline for its enactment.

The campaign has alleged that higher educational institutions are increasingly becoming hostile spaces for Dalit and Adivasi students, leading to rising dropouts and instances of suicides. It claimed that despite constitutional guarantees and reservations, many SC/ST students continue to face humiliation, exclusion and systemic discrimination within campuses.

The group expressed concern that existing legal safeguards, including the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act and the UGC Equity Regulations, 2026, have not adequately addressed caste-based discrimination in higher education.

The demand for a dedicated law gained momentum after senior Congress leader Rahul Gandhi called for such legislation, following which Chief Minister Siddaramaiah publicly assured in April 2025 that Karnataka would enact a Rohith Vemula Act. The Congress had also promised the legislation in its 2024 election manifesto.

According to the campaign, a model Bill was drafted after extensive consultations with student organisations, teachers and legal experts and was submitted to Minister Priyank Kharge in December 2025. Subsequent discussions were held with Law Minister H. K. Patil and Higher Education Minister M. C. Sudhakar, and the government reportedly accepted the draft with minor revisions.

On January 17, 2026, Rahul Gandhi stated that the state was in the process of implementing the Act. However, the draft has not yet been made public, nor has a legislative schedule been announced, prompting concern among SC/ST students across the state.

The Campaign has now demanded at the press meet held at press club of bengaluru, under the Leadership of Mavalli Shankar DSS leader,Basavaraj kowthal, Hulikunte Murthy,Vinay Shrinivas,Lekha,Ashna Singh and Rahul is, immediate release of the draft Bill, a clear timeline for its introduction in the Assembly, and its passage during the Budget Session of 2026, calling it a crucial step toward ensuring dignity, equality and justice in Karnataka’s universities and colleges.

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EDII unveils PGDM to power India’s next wave of tech startups

Posted on by City Today News (City today.media)

EDII launches AICTE-approved PGDM for tech entrepreneurs in Bengaluru

Bengaluru: The Entrepreneurship Development Institute of India (EDII) on Monday announced a new AICTE-approved PGDM in “Entrepreneurship for Tech Startups”, aimed at technology professionals and young innovators looking to build scalable ventures.

Launched in the city widely regarded as India’s startup capital, the programme focuses on high-growth sectors such as EdTech, HealthTech, FinTech and AI-led digital businesses. The two-year course is designed to move beyond classroom theory, offering structured mentorship, industry immersion, incubation and milestone-linked seed support to help participants translate ideas into market-ready enterprises.

EDII director general Dr Sunil Shukla said Bengaluru was a natural choice given its vibrant technology ecosystem and Karnataka’s leadership in the startup space. He added that the programme aligns with the vision of Viksit Bharat @ 2047 by encouraging youth to pursue entrepreneurship as a purposeful career path.

Introduced in 1998, EDII’s flagship PGDM in Entrepreneurship is approved by the All India Council of Technical Education and recognised as MBA-equivalent by the Association of Indian Universities. The institute claims that nearly 79% of its over 2,200 alumni are active entrepreneurs, reflecting its focus on building job creators rather than job seekers.

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Indian Railways Announces Summer Special Tourist Train to Kashmir & Vaishno Devi with 33% Subsidy

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Bookings Open for 18-Day All-Inclusive Package Beginning April 11

In a major boost to summer tourism, Indian Railways, in association with South Star Rail — India’s first private sector service provider under the Bharat Gaurav Train scheme — and Ministry of Tourism-recognised Tour Times, has announced a special tourist train to the Kashmir Valley and Vaishno Devi.

The 18-day all-inclusive summer special tour will commence on April 11, with bookings now open.

Unlike regular train services, this exclusive tourist train will not be available on the IRCTC website. Reservations can be made directly through Tour Times by contacting 93550 21516.

Two Curated Pilgrimage & Holiday Circuits
The train will board passengers from Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, with stoppages at Penukonda, Dharmavaram, Anantapur, Gooty, Dhone, Kurnool, Gadwal, Mahabubnagar and Secunderabad.

Kashmir Valley Tour (13 Days)
The itinerary covers Agra, Srinagar, Sonmarg, Gulmarg, Amritsar and Delhi.
Package pricing starts at:
₹42,400 – Sleeper Class
₹54,000 – Third AC
₹61,000 – Second AC
₹68,200 – First AC

Vaishno Devi Holiday Special (13 Days)
This route includes Agra, Mathura, Haridwar, Rishikesh, Kurukshetra, Vaishno Devi, Amritsar and Delhi.
Package pricing begins at:
₹36,800 – Sleeper Class
₹48,700 – Third AC
₹54,300 – Second AC
₹65,700 – First AC

Comprehensive Onboard & Travel Facilities
The special tourist train is equipped with a range of amenities including:
Public announcement systems
Dedicated coach security
Tour managers
Travel insurance
Sightseeing and transfers
Unlimited meals onboard and offboard
Hotel accommodation

Passengers are encouraged to carry only essential luggage required for overnight stays and sightseeing, ensuring a hassle-free journey. The package is also eligible for LTC/LFC benefits.

33% Subsidy Under Bharat Gaurav Initiative
This summer package comes with a 33% subsidy supported by Indian Railways under the Bharat Gaurav Train initiative.

South Star Rail and Tour Times have so far operated 52 departures, covering nearly 2,97,130 kilometres and facilitating travel for 24,980 pilgrims and tourists.

Officials said the special train service has been introduced specifically for the convenience of passengers from Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, offering a comfortable, organised and spiritually enriching travel experience this summer.

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