Home Minister G. Parameshwara inaugurated the newly constructed police residential quarters at Suntikoppa in Kodagu district on Sunday.

The 12 residential quarters for police constables have been built at a cost of ₹ 3.64 crore by the Karnataka State Police Housing and Infrastructure Development Corporation (KSPH&IDC).

Speaking after inaugurating the housing facility, the Minister said that around 40,000 residential quarters have already been constructed for police personnel across the state, while another 60,000 houses are still required.

Pointing out that the salaries of constables, who serve at the lowest ranks in the police department, had been increased, Mr. Parameshwara said the Government is providing improved housing facilities after taking note of the fact that many police personnel live in cramped houses.

Accordingly, the KSPH & IDC will provide housing in a phased manner up to the year 2030, he said.

Earlier, buildings were constructed at a cost of about ₹ 18 lakh per unit, but now the cost has increased to around ₹ 33 lakh. The government’s aim is to ensure that police personnel lead a comfortable and dignified life, he added.

The Minister assured to look into the list of demands made by MLA Mantar Gowda and priority given to construction of housing facilities for police personnel, while necessary steps will also be taken to establish police stations as per the Government’s parameters.

He said various measures have been introduced to make the police department more people-friendly, urging police personnel to maintain friendly relations with the public while ensuring strict punishment for offenders.

He further noted that Karnataka Police ranks first in the country in terms of safety and security, and police personnel perform their duties day and night, in rain and heat, often without rest. Therefore, they should be respected, and no one should attempt to demoralise them.

The Home Minister said that out of the 593 assurances given by the Siddaramaiah-led government in 2023, more than half have already been fulfilled, and all promises would be implemented within the next two years.

He added that the government has spent ₹1.36 lakh crore on the five guarantee schemes, aiming to bring poorer sections into the mainstream through various welfare programmes.

He stated that the government is people-oriented and functioning as promised, and added that Chief Minister Siddaramaiah would present a strong budget on March 6.

MLA Dr. Mantar Gowda, speaking on the occasion, requested the Minister to fill vacant police posts, construct additional police quarters, and provide for the establishment of two more police stations in Kodagu district in the upcoming budget.

He also suggested utilising available land in the district for setting up a police training center.

Among those present were Southern Range Inspector General of Police Boralinagaiah, Deputy Commissioner S. J. Somashekar, Zilla Panchayat CEO Anand Prakash Meena, and Superintendent of Police R. N. Bindumani. 

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> India> Karnataka / by The Hindu Bureau / February 15th, 2026

A Coffee planter said the budget is silent on crucial subsidies on fertilisers, essential plantation equipment and fundamental necessities, as well as on the facilitation of loans.

Image used for representational purposes only.(File Photo | Express)

Chikkamagaluru :

Coffee planter and social activist Holadagadde Girish said it was condemnable that the Union Budget ignored the coffee industry as it lacked any proposal to rescue growers from problems they face.

In a statement on Monday, he said the industry has been fetching considerable foreign exchange to the nation’s coffers, besides playing a key role in environment conservation and providing jobs. “It is alarming to observe that the budget lacks any revival programmes for the beleaguered industry, which is held back by erratic weather patterns, infestations, labour shortages, fluctuating market conditions and threats from wildlife,” Girish said.

The planter pointed out that the budget is silent on crucial subsidies on fertilisers, essential plantation equipment and fundamental necessities, as well as on the facilitation of loans. This neglect has further exacerbated the industry’s plight, pushing it to the brink of despair, he said.

Promises made by Central ministers including HD Kumaraswamy, the chairman of the Coffee Board and other officials during the Central Coffee Research Institute (CCRI) centenary celebration at Balehonnur have proved to be mere rhetoric, Girish said.

The demands for the establishment of an ESI hospital, branding of coffee, promotion of the domestic coffee market and the creation of a Coffee Tech Park have been relegated to obscurity, Girish said.

source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> Karnataka / by Express News Service / February 10th, 2026

Madikeri:

Kodagu, the cradle of hockey in Karnataka, is preparing to host the Chenanda Kodava Family Hockey Festival from Apr. 5 to May 2 at Gen. K.S. Thimayya Stadium in Napokulu, with plans to make this year’s edition especially grand.

The organisers met Union Sports Minister Dr. Mansukh Mandaviya, along with Mysuru-Kodagu MP Yaduveer Wadiyar, on Feb. 9 in New Delhi and cordially invited him to attend the finals on May 2.

Notably, the Chenanda Kodava Family Hockey Festival organising committee members were dressed in traditional Kodava attire, adding a cultural touch to the occasion. The Minister, after accepting the invitation, also learnt about Kodagu’s rich hockey heritage and the historical significance of the festival.

source: http://www.starofmysore.com / Star of Mysore / Home> Sports News / February 12th, 2026

The tariff reduction from 25% to zero would boost India’s coffee exports in general and shipments of speciality coffees in particular, said the coffee community, in response to a media query on the impact of recent U.S. tariff reduction on India’s coffee exports.

Image for representational purposes. | Photo Credit: File photo

India’s coffee sector is steadily moving from a commodity-led approach to a quality and experience-driven market, said the coffee community here on Monday.

Addressing a media conference, Kurma Rao M., CEO and Secretary of the Coffee Board of India, said, “Indian coffee is gaining recognition for its quality and diversity.’’

Platforms such as the India International Coffee Festival (IICF) play an important role in connecting producers with markets, encouraging best practices, and supporting the long-term growth of both domestic consumption and exports, Mr. Rao observed.

He said the Speciality Coffee Association of India (SCAI) would host the IICF between February 12 and 14 in Bengaluru. It would be held in collaboration with the Coffee Board and Nescafé. This coffee exposition would gather the entire spectrum of India’s coffee ecosystems on a single platform, he added.

The 2026 edition of IICF would reflect the shift to a quality and experience-driven market with greater scale, deeper business engagement, and a stronger focus on showcasing the diversity and potential of Indian coffee across domestic and global markets, Hamsini Appadurai, president of SCAI, said.

According to industry captains, the festival, structured around a farm-to-cup framework, is expected to offer insights into the production, processing, roasting, and brewing of coffee through curated tastings, workshops, and cupping sessions.

These would also cover regional coffee profiles, processing techniques, and flavour management, encouraging informed consumption and a deeper appreciation of quality and traceability amongst domestic and global buyers and consumers.

Over 20,000 visitors and delegates, comprising coffee growers, processors, roasters, exporters, equipment manufacturers, cafe brands, baristas, and consumers from India, Germany, Japan, Italy and many coffee-producing and coffee-consuming countries are expected to attend the fest.

India-U.S. trade deal

The tariff reduction from 25% to zero (0%) would boost India’s coffee exports in general and shipments of speciality coffees in particular, said the coffee community, in response to a media query on the recent tariff impact on coffee.

It may be noted that the U.S. has granted duty-free access to Indian coffee as part of the recent trade deal.

India currently exports only a negligible amount of (over 10,000 tonnes of coffee to the United States) while the country’s exports volumes, including of instant coffees, to the US is expected to rise under the zero tariff regime, said an industry observer cum planter from Chikmagaluru.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> India> Karnataka / by The Hindu Bureau / February 10th, 2026

A total of 104 mobile phones stolen from Kodagu district since 2022 were recovered during the last one month and handed over to the owners at a function in Madikeri on Tuesday.

Superintendent of Kodagu district police Bindu Mani R. N. said the recovered mobile phones of various brands were valued around ₹ 11 lakh.

The stolen mobile phones were recovered by the Cyber Crime police station of Kodagu district in co-ordination with the officials of different police stations during January 2026. The stolen mobile phones were recovered from different parts of Kodagu as well as Kerala and Tamil Nadu through the Central Equipment Identity Register (CEIR), she said.

She called upon the owners of mobile phones, who had lost their devices, to contact the nearest police station and report their loss on the CEIR portal.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> India> Karnataka /by The HIndu Bureau / February 10th, 2026

Under the Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana (PMKSY) – “More Crop per Drop”, assistance is being provided for installing drip/micro irrigation systems for horticultural crops, said Yogesh, Deputy Director of the Horticulture Department.

He stated that crops such as arecanut, coconut, ginger, banana, palm, black pepper, avocado, sapota, and various vegetables are eligible under the scheme. Farmers belonging to Scheduled Castes/Scheduled Tribes and other categories can receive up to 90% subsidy.

Under the National Horticulture Mission, farmers are given 40% assistance to expand new areas for banana, vegetables, and avocado cultivation. In the rejuvenation program, farmers are provided with free saplings of oranges and pepper, along with organic manure.

Under the Protected Cultivation Program, 50% subsidy is provided for the construction of greenhouses/polyhouses/shade net houses and for plastic mulching. Similarly, 50% subsidy is offered for water storage structures.

For post-harvest management, 50% subsidy is given for the construction of processing units/pack houses/cold storages. Additionally, a 40% subsidy is available for setting up mushroom units.

source: http://www.clnews.in / Coffeeland News / Home> Agriculture> General / by CLN Newsdesk / July 11th, 2025