Cabinet meeting to be held in Coastal Karnataka, says Chief Minister

Severe sea erosion triggered by rough monsoon conditions has washed away the Cherangai-Kavungoli coastal road at Kavugoli in Mogral Puthur in Kasaragod district, leaving around 200 families cut off and without road access. The sea has advanced nearly 100 metres inland at Kavugoli, completely destroying the coastal road. Residents fear strong waves could inundate their homes at any moment as the erosion continues unabated.Apart from Kavugoli, severe coastal erosion has been reported from Nellikunnu, Cherangai, Uduma, Pallikkara, and Musodi in Uppala. At Musodi, a house is on the verge of being swallowed by the sea. Protection measures, including geobags installed along vulnerable stretches, have been severely damaged or washed away. Several houses remain under threat while families living in the high-risk areas have already been shifted to safer locations.At Koyippady beach in Kumbla, large sections of the stone seawall have been eroded, with the remaining geobag protection is also being washed away. Residents fear that if the adjoining coastal road collapses, hundreds of nearby houses will be at risk.At Pervard beach, the geobag seawall installed two years ago has been completely destroyed, while the remaining stone seawall is also being eroded. Residents allege that all seawalls constructed along the beach over the past decades have failed over the years, accusing authorities of spending crores of rupees on ineffective coastal protection works.Institute at riskSea erosion has also intensified along other coastal stretches, including CPCRI, Thrikkannad, Valiyaparamba, Chembarikka, and Ajanur. The erosion has also severely affected the beach experimental block of the ICAR- Central Plantation Crops Research Institute.

The institute, which has nearly 1 km of boundary along the Arabian Sea, has lost approximately 80 metres of its compound wall to erosion. Another 30 metres of the wall remains in a precarious condition, raising concerns about further damage if the erosion continues.According to the institute, around 30 metres of land that once separated its boundary from the sea has been completely washed away due to repeated high tides and and continuous erosion bringing the sea dangerously close to its experimental farm.

Officials warned that further erosion could cause extensive damage to the

research fields and infrastructure.The institute has informed the District Collector, local MLA, MP, panchayat president and the Minor Irrigation department seeking immediate intervention to protect the experimental farm. Local residents have demanded scientifically designed and permanent coastal protection measures such as tetrapods or concrete seawalls instead of relying on conventional stone embankments to prevent recurring destruction along Kasaragod’s coastline. Published - August 03, 2026 03:47 pm IST

Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee’s (TPCC) exercise to fill nominated posts is likely to be delayed further as consultations continue over the reappointment of several incumbents amid a reported lack of consensus on some appointments.Although the Congress leadership recently announced that appointments would be made in phases, party sources indicated that nearly half of the former chairpersons may not be reappointed.While senior Congress leaders and former legislators have intensified their lobbying for appointments to corporations, boards and other nominated positions following the party leadership’s move to fill key vacancies, ministers have reportedly suggested prioritising appointments to corporations dealing with agriculture and allied sectors. The suggestion comes in view of the need to address the challenges likely to arise from the anticipated impact of El Niño conditions on the farm sector.Meanwhile, a senior leader stressed that members of the party’s social media wing be considered for district-level nominated posts, citing their commitment to the Congress during the previous Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) government’s tenure.The exercise has assumed significance as the tenure of Chairpersons of several State-level corporations ended last month, leaving several key posts vacant.On Saturday, TPCC president B. Mahesh Kumar Goud held consultations at Gandhi Bhavan with Agriculture Minister Tummala Nageswara Rao and Rajya Sabha member Vem Narender Reddy to work out the selection process.The leaders discussed appointments of Chairpersons and Directors of Primary Agricultural Cooperative Societies (PACS), besides nominations to constituency, district- and State-level bodies, and finalised broad guidelines for the selection process.Mr. Rao said the exercise had commenced after consultations between Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy and Mr. Goud. Ministers in- charge of the erstwhile districts would hold consultations with Ministers, legislators, District Congress Committee (DCC) presidents and senior leaders to prepare a list of aspirants. The Chief Minister and the TPCC president will jointly take a decision on the appointments after completion of consultations and preparation of the final list. Published - August 03, 2026 01:38 pm IST

Chief Minister D. K. Shivakumar

| Photo Credit: M A Sriram

The Congress high command approved 20 names of legislators for inclusion in the cabinet in Karnataka. Expansion of the cabinet was expected.On August 3, Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar got a letter with the list of names of legislators that have been approved for inclusion in the Karnataka cabinet.The names are:

P M Narendraswamy

Shivaraj Tangadagi

Rudrappa Lamani

K S Basavanthappa

B Nagendra

T Raghumoorthy

B Z Zameer Ahmed Khan

Rizwan Arshad

Santosh Lad

Madhu Bangarappa

Putturangashetty

Mankala Vaidya

Ajay Singh

N Chaluvaraya Swamy

K M Shivalinge Gowda

H C Balakrishna

Gayathri Shanthegowda

Basvaraj Rayareddi

Vijayanand Kashappanavar

Laxman Savadi

Names for posts of presiding officersThe Congress high command has also approved the names of legislators who will be the candidates for the posts of Speaker and Deputy Speaker in the legislative Assembly and the Council.The names proposed for the posts of presiding officers in the Assembly are G.S. Patil (Speaker) and A.S. Ponanna (Deputy Speaker)The names proposed for the posts of presiding officers in the Council are Saleem Ahmed (Speaker) and Umashree (Deputy Speaker).The legislators are expected to be sworn in on August 3 in Bengaluru. The Bengaluru traffic police has issued an advisory for motorists. Published - August 03, 2026 12:18 pm IST

Minister of Law, S. Regupathy. File

| Photo Credit: B. Velankanni Raj

Former DMK Minister S. Regupathy on Sunday (August 2, 2026) accused the Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK)-led government of remaining passive on the crucial Cauvery water dispute and criticised Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay for “failing to clarify the government’s stand” on the issue.In a statement issued in Chennai, Mr. Regupathy said that as Chief Minister, Mr. Vijay had a responsibility to explain the government’s position on vital issues such as the Cauvery dispute.Claiming Mr. Vijay avoided interacting with the media to protect his public image, Mr. Regupathy said neither the Chief Minister nor Water Resources Minister N. Anand had spelt out the government’s stand on Karnataka’s proposed Mekedatu project. He said Mr. Vijay and Mr. Anand owed the people an explanation as to whether they endorsed Electricity Minister R. Nirmalkumar’s view that there was no need to convene an all-party meeting on the issue.Accusing the TVK Government of “sleeping over” a matter of immense importance to the State, Mr. Regupathy alleged Mr. Nirmalkumar had insulted the Opposition parties in Tamil Nadu as well as former Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi through his remarks.“While the Tamil Nadu government remains silent, the Karnataka Chief Minister is holding regular high-level meetings, meeting Union Ministers and convening all-party meetings on the issue,” he said.Mr. Regupathy contended the Chief Minister’s silence would create the impression that Tamil Nadu was being governed by a weak administration.“It is not only neighbouring States but even the Governor who will begin to view the Tamil Nadu government as weak. The Chief Minister’s refusal to consult political parties and his apparent rest mode during weekends have caused serious concern among farmers,” he said.Mr. Regupathy demanded that the State government convene an all-party meeting to deliberate on the Cauvery water dispute and sought an apology from Mr. Nirmalkumar for his remarks.Meanwhile, DMK legal wing deputy secretary I. Paranathan took strong exception to Mr. Nirmalkumar’s comments on Karunanidhi, stating that it was Karunanidhi who had secured the establishment of the Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal. “He has no locus standi to speak about Kalaignar,” Mr. Paranathan said.Responding to Mr. Nirmalkumar’s contention that an all-party meeting was unnecessary because every political party had its own stand, Mr. Paranathan said it was the Chief Minister’s responsibility to build consensus among political parties on issues affecting the State.“All Chief Ministers in the past had convened all-party meetings on matters concerning the Cauvery dispute,” he said. Published - August 02, 2026 09:25 pm IST

Samajwadi Party National President Akhilesh Yadav. File

| Photo Credit: ANI

Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav on Sunday (August 2, 2026) said the current administration in Uttar Pradesh has shut down more than 26,000 government primary schools since assuming power in 2017, alleging that this was done to deny education to children from the PDA (Backwards, Dalit, Minority) communities.Addressing a press conference at the party headquarters in Lucknow, Mr. Yadav said the Samajwadi Party would raise the issue during the Monsoon Session of the Assembly, which would begin on Monday (August 2).The former Chief Minister claimed that according to official data, Uttar Pradesh had 1,13,938 government primary schools until March 2017, when the BJP came to power. More than 26,000 of them have been closed ever since, he said.The highest number of closures took place in Lakhimpur Kheri, where 758 schools were shut, followed by Sitapur (650) and Prayagraj (638). In Gorakhpur, the home district of Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, around 500 primary schools were closed, he said.Pointing out that a majority of students in government primary schools belong to Other Backwards Classes and Scheduled Castes, Mr. Yadav alleged that the BJP did not want children from the PDA communities to receive education.The Samajwadi Party chief said that enrolment in government primary schools has declined from 1.17 crore students in 2017 to around 89 lakh in 2026. Of this 89 lakh, about 25 lakh students belong to OBC, Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe categories.The number of teachers in these schools has also fallen from around 4 lakh in 2017 to 3.40 lakh at present, while nearly 81,000 teaching posts remained vacant, he said.Mr. Yadav alleged that the administration was reducing teaching posts because it did not want to provide permanent government jobs, as regular recruitment would require budgetary allocations and implementation of reservation policies.He said the closure of government primary schools has adversely affected girls' education, with the number of girls studying in these schools declining from 61.57 lakh in March 2017 to around 45 lakh now.Thousands of government schools continue to lack basic infrastructure, he said, stating that around 7,000 schools have no electricity, about 2,300 have no toilets for girls, 576 lack drinking water facilities and nearly 23,000 have no provision for computer education.Mr. Yadav said all Samajwadi Party legislators would jointly raise the issue in the Assembly on Monday and corner the government on issues such as education, paper leaks, law and order, and alleged corruption. Published - August 02, 2026 05:48 pm IST

Students performing Dhimsa during the inauguration of Bhogapuram airport on Saturday.

| Photo Credit: Special Arrangement

VIZIANAGARAM The inauguration of Alluri Sitarama Raju International Airport at Bhogapuram by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu on Saturday not only marked a glorious aviation milestone for Andhra Pradesh but also presented a glittering show of rich tribal heritage of the State.A sea of 13,750 schoolchildren performed flawlessly as they danced to the Dhimsa beats in unison as Mr. Modi arrived at the public meeting venue from the terminal building of the airport.Just a day before, a similar performance by the children atthe same venue was recognised by the Guinness World Records as the “largest Dhimsa dance performnce.”Dressed in vibrant pink saris with green borders and matching green blouses, 13,750 students hailing from Parvatipuram-Manyam, Srikakulam, Vizianagaram, Alluri Sitarama Raju and other districts were divided into 433 groups of 50 each.

They danced in circles while holding hands to the beat of traditional tribal percussion instruments and folk songs.Special Chief Secretary M.T. Krishnababu, senior IAS officer M.M. Naik and other officials coordinated the dance event.The Prime Minister and the galaxy of dignitaries had all praise for the children. Mr. Modi praised the stunning performance of the children during his speech.Representatives of Guinness World Records from London issued the certificate to Tribal Welfare Minister Gummadi Sandhya Rani.For the students, it was a rare experience. “I saw the Prime Minister and Chief Minister from a very short distance.

I saw them earlier on television.

It was a thrilling experience,” said Y. Ramya, a student from Parvatipuram.A parent, Marpina Ramagopal, from Anandapuram in Visakhapatnam district said that people across the State understood the importance of the great folk dance with the performance of students.Gidugu Ramamurthy, Telugu Bhasha and Janapada Kalapeetham founder and retired teacher Badri Kurma Rao thanked the government for organising Dhimsa dance during the inauguration. Published - August 02, 2026 01:22 am IST

Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly Speaker J.C.D. Prabhakar and Minister for Artificial Intelligence, IT and Digital Services at the event held at Patrician College on Saturday.

| Photo Credit: B. Velankanni Raj

The Tamil Nadu government is aware of the gap between education and employment prevailing in the State and will take steps to find a solution soon, Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly Speaker J.C.D. Prabhakar said here on Saturday.Addressing management, faculty, and students of Patrician College of Arts and Science at the closing ceremony of its Silver Jubilee celebrations, Mr. Prabhakar said that gaps in policy have led to several degree and diploma holders in the State unable to find jobs to match their education. “There is a gap in jobs suited for education, remuneration commensurate with talent, and revenue earned from the knowledge acquired.” One of the reasons, he said was the mushrooming of engineering colleges in the State, though Tamil Nadu has several Arts and Science colleges that offered new and interesting courses.He assured the audience that the government was working towards ensuring job security for the youth. “The chief minister has asked for some time to implement his policies,” he added.R. Kumar, Minister for AI, IT, and Digital Services, said that the advent of Artificial Intelligence (AI) has disrupted every part of the world and urged all departments to adopt AI to “walk your path to success”. He said students should not stop with their degrees but upskill themselves to get ready for the next stage of development of this technology.Retired faculty members and staff were felicitated on the occasion.Brother Vincent George, Director and Secretary, Patrician College of Arts and Science; Bro. S. Arockiaraj, Province Leader, Patrician Brothers; Bro. Jerome Ellens, Community Leader, Patrician Brothers; Arokiamary Geetha Rufus, Principal; and Fatima Vasanth, Academic Director, were present at the event. Published - August 01, 2026 11:52 pm IST

Demanding Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s resignation over the July 20 crackdown on anti-paper leak protesters in Delhi, AISA president Neha said the movement has evolved into a wider campaign seeking accountability from the Centre over the alleged police action.Ms. Neha, who observed a 23-day hunger strike during the agitation, told PTI that the demand for Mr. Shah’s resignation and the removal of Delhi Police Commissioner Anurag Kumar would continue alongside efforts to secure the release of arrested protesters. She emphasised that accountability cannot be limited to low-ranking officials.“The buck stops at Amit Shah. The buck stops at the commissioner of police. If somebody has to resign or has to be sacked, it is these two people. No low-ranking official’s suspension is enough for us,” she said.Questioning the alleged use of pellet guns and excessive force during the July 20 march to Parliament, the chief of the left-wing students’ organisation affiliated with the CPI(ML) Liberation said the government failed to explain why security personnel were equipped with pellet guns and “sticks covered with nails”.“We are still seeking answers. Why did you use pellet guns on protesters on July 20? Why were security forces given pellet guns? Why were sticks covered with nails, with which protesters were injured,” she asked.Ms. Neha argued that regardless of whether the alleged actions were ordered by a magistrate or senior authorities, political responsibility ultimately rests with the Union home minister.“If it happened on the magistrate’s order, then what kind of home minister are you?... And if it happened on your order, then what kind of a criminal state are you running where pellet guns can be fired on ordinary citizens,” she asked.Ms. Neha noted that the alleged police actions fundamentally changed the nature of the movement, transforming it from a focus on the paper leak issue into a broader political campaign against the government’s handling of the protests.“A very large section of people used to come to us every day and say that they kept voting for the BJP government, but today, because of their vote, we have to sit on a hunger strike. They would say that because of their vote, students are committing suicide, and now they are very ashamed,” the AISA national president said.“It (movement) is no more about Dharmendra Pradhan. It is about whether the government can be so barbaric with the common citizens of the country,” Ms. Neha said, claiming that the sense of betrayal among students and the youth was now directed at Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Shah and the Delhi Police commissioner.She reiterated that the demand for Mr. Shah’s resignation is inseparable from the push for the release of protesters detained during and after the agitation.“The protest seeking the Home Minister’s resignation and the release of the arrested students are not different. Both are together because both are a part of state repression,” she said, alleging that arrests and criminal cases against students had continued despite assurances.Regarding the political response to the agitation, Ms. Neha said opposition parties had a responsibility to take up people’s issues and welcomed the support extended by parties, including the Congress, as well as student organisations such as the NSUI and Youth Congress.“If you are a political party, it is your job to express solidarity with the people. It is their job to make people’s issues their own issue, raise their voice in Parliament and speak about the suppression of those voices,” she said.When asked whether the agitation might influence electoral politics, Ms. Neha refrained from making predictions but expressed her belief that the public will remember both the movement and the events of July 20.“I think people will not forget this movement. We will not forget that when we put aside divisive politics and fought together for our future, we won,” she said.Ms. Neha asserted that protests demanding accountabil

With the objective of establishing Uttar Pradesh as a leading hub of global trade, manufacturing and exports, the fourth edition of the Uttar Pradesh International Trade Show (UPITS) will be held from 25 to 29 September at the India Expo Center and Mart in Greater Noida. Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath reviewed the preparations for the event on Friday and described it as an important opportunity to showcase Uttar Pradesh’s industrial potential, innovation, products and export capabilities before the world. The Chief Minister stated, Over its previous three editions, the Uttar Pradesh International Trade Show has become an effective medium for connecting the state’s products, enterprises and industries with national and international markets. Now, this event is not merely a trade exhibition, but has become a global platform that is taking forward Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of ‘Make in India’ and ‘Make for the World’.”He said that Uttar Pradesh is a state of “Unlimited Potential” and the Uttar Pradesh International Trade Show is the most effective platform to experience this potential. He directed that the event be widely publicized across the country and abroad so that the maximum number of investors, buyers and visitors participate in it.It was informed during the meeting that this year’s theme for the trade show has been set as ‘UP for Global Growth: Innovation, Manufacturing and Exports’. The event has set a target of participation by more than 2,400 exhibitors, over 1.50 lakh registered B2B buyers, more than 4.50 lakh B2C visitors and over 550 international buyers from 85 countries. In addition, more than 4,000 MoUs, a proposed MoU value exceeding ₹3200 crore and business inquiries worth more than ₹13,500 crore are expected.The Chief Minister directed that active dialogue also be established with Singapore, Oman, Austria, Brazil, Thailand, Japan, Indonesia and Russia, among other countries, to ensure their maximum participation.The Chief Minister was informed that this time, ODOP, ODOC, MSMEs, electronics and IT, defence and aerospace, agriculture and allied sectors, tourism and films, renewable energy, automobiles and electric vehicles, pharma and healthcare, skill development, civil aviation, financial services, startups, logistics, food processing, handicrafts, Khadi, textiles, leather, furniture and other major sectors will be showcased extensively, through which Uttar Pradesh’s diverse industrial and economic potential will be displayed on a single platform.Knowledge sessions to be held on subjects including Artificial Intelligence, electronics manufacturing, digital trade, FTAs, food processing, road safety and labour codesThe Chief Minister directed that the knowledge sessions be made useful for industry representatives, investors and entrepreneurs. Expert discussions should be organized during these sessions on Artificial Intelligence and cybercrime, electronics manufacturing, banking and finance, solid waste management, new labor codes, food processing policy, road safety, e-commerce, global free trade agreements, MSMEs and other contemporary subjects.He also stated, “Alongside business activities, Uttar Pradesh’s rich cultural heritage should also become an identity of the event. For this, attractive programs of classical music, Kathak, folk dance, folk singing, bhajans, ghazals and other cultural performances should be organized on all days so that guests coming from across the country and abroad can also experience the cultural diversity of Uttar Pradesh.”It was also informed during the meeting that extensive coordination has been carried out with Indian missions abroad to connect international buyers. Continuous contact is being established with buyers from various countries, and efforts are being made through buyer-seller meetings to provide new global markets to entrepreneurs and exporters of Uttar Pradesh.The Chief Minister directed that the deployment of Udyami Mitras be ensured during the trade s