Tag: Karnataka

In free fall: BJP gains from Congress implosion in Karnataka and Goa. But in politics nothing is permanent

Source: timesofindia.indiatimes.com

The plummeting of Congress-JD(S) alliance below the halfway mark in Karnataka assembly and the split in Goa Congress legislature party with ten MLAs crossing over to BJP headlined another dismal day in the dwindling fortunes of the grand old party. The coalition government in Karnataka with the unusual arrangement of the rank junior party getting the CM’s post was an absolute repudiation of the electorate’s mandate, which was certainly not for JD(S), to which both BJP and Congress had better claims in terms of seat and vote share.

BJP’s decimation of the Congress-JD(S) alliance in the Lok Sabha polls, winning 25 of Karnataka’s 28 seats, punctured what was an unsustainable ruling alliance anyway. Combined with BJP’s unflagging efforts to unseat the government, the stage for the last act is already set. It is unclear what BJP is offering Congress MLAs who have resigned. Quite a few rebels were cut up over not becoming ministers. But their willingness to resign just a year after winning a hard fought assembly election does reveal how lightly they value their Congress membership and their prospects in the party that is plumbing historic depths.

In contrast, Congress’s ignominy in Goa is linked to the 2017 failure to form a government despite emerging as the single largest party in the assembly. BJP now has a comfortable majority in the house with 27 legislators, and would be in a position to drop its ally Goa Forward Party from the ministry to accommodate the turncoats.

The developments are ominous for Congress and it must pay greater attention to Madhya Pradesh where the government runs on a slender majority with support from SP, BSP and independents. BJP is carrying on with its single-minded pursuit of cornering the opposition, unperturbed by allegations of horse trading. ‘Aya Ram, Gaya Ram’ style politics now seems mostly to be about ‘Gaya Ram’. Yet the influx of Congress leaders into BJP could lead to a situation where those groomed by RSS will not take too kindly to the former leapfrogging to plum positions in BJP governments. Under Modi and Shah BJP is a centralised and tightly run party, working almost as a corporate entity. Entry of a large number of Congressmen may break this up and create new factions.

Hampi to be developed as iconic tourist destination

Source: newindianexpress.com

BENGALURU: Hampi, a popular tourist destination, will soon be developed into a world-class tourism destination with improved facilities for visitors. It has been listed as an ‘iconic site’ along with 16 others, including the Taj Mahal, Kumarakom, Kaziranga, Khajuraho, Ajanta and Elora, which will be taken up for development. It is the only site in Karnataka which figures in the list.

The announcement was made in the Union Budget proposals for 2019-20, presented by Union Finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Friday. Although Rs 1,378.53 crore has been allocated for building tourism infrastructure, the cost and funding pattern for developing the iconic sites are yet to be worked out.
The Union tourism ministry has been working on the list for more than a year. Officials of the ministry and the state tourism department have been holding a series of meetings with experts to prepare a master plan on the way forward. As a model site, the destination will be a one-stop destination in a combination of infrastructure and soft skills, said a tourism department official. 

THE list has been prepared keeping in mind the cultural importance, heritage value and tourism potential. Sites have been chosen as they are the most do-able places and popular, where any development works taken up will immediately attract attention and increase footfall.

Hampi is listed for its size, continuous findings and promising economic value. Also called the ‘City of Ruins’, it has been listed as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO and is well protected by the state and central Archaeological Departments.

Based on the success of the Hampi plan, the state government plans to replicate the model at other important tourist sites. “After Hampi, work will be taken up at Pattadakal on the same lines, which is also a UNESCO-listed site, followed by the clusters of Badami and Aihole. The forts of Vijayapura, Kalaburgi and Bidar also show promise,” the official said.

The 17 sites listed are popular on the tourist circuit, but a lot more can be done. To become world-class destinations, the place should be well connected by air, rail and road. There should be good signages to guide tourists around the city and the sites. Well-trained guides, interpretation centres and sufficient literature giving all details should be available. Most importantly, there should be proper facilities in place for clean restrooms and restaurants.

Iconic Tourist Sites
Hampi (Karnataka), Taj Mahal, Fathepur Sikri (Uttar Pradesh), Ajanta and Ellora (M’rashtra), Humayun’s Tomb, Qutub Minar, Red Fort (Delhi), Colva Beach (Goa), Amer Fort (Rajasthan), Somnath, Dholavira (Gujarat), Khajuraho (MP), Mahabalipuram (Tamil Nadu), Kaziranga (Assam), Kumarakom (Kerala)and Mahabodhi Temple (Bihar)