Category: State Current Affairs

Bengaluru Tech Summit (BTS)

News-

• The Bengaluru Tech Summit (BTS) 2025 took place from November 18 to 20, 2025, at the Bangalore International Exhibition Centre (BIEC).
• 2025 theme – “Futurise,”

Bengaluru Tech Summit (BTS)

• Organizers: It is an initiative of the Department of Electronics, Information Technology and Biotechnology, Government of Karnataka, in partnership with industry stakeholders.
• Significance – . The summit reinforced Karnataka’s position as a global technology and innovation hub by bringing together innovators, researchers, entrepreneurs, and policymakers

Child Rights Index

News

• The Karnataka State Commission for Protection of Child Rights (KSCPCR) launched a Child Rights Index, a first-of-its-kind document in the country.

Child Rights Index

• The document details the laws and schemes in each department for children, how effective the implementation of the same has been and what changes can be adopted for improving things.
• It is conceived to ensure the rights, protection and welfare of children

State at 10th position in Child Rights Index

• Karnataka’s performance in realising child rights and well-being is ‘moderate’ and the State ranks 10th among 30 States, according to the Child Rights Index 2023.
• The index is calculated considering six dimensions:

1. Right to Life,
2. Right to an Enabling Environment to Live,
3. Right to Nutrition,
4. Right to Protection,
5. Right to Education, and
6. Right to Participation.

Tata Transformation Prize

News –

• The New York Academy of Sciences and Tata Sons announced three scientists based out of Bengaluru as the winners of the 2025 Tata Transformation Prize.

Tata Transformation Prize winners are

1. Padubidri V. Shivaprasad of National Centre for Biological Sciences, and
2. Balasubramanian Gopal of Indian Institute of Science for research in food security, and
3. Ambarish Ghosh of sustainability and healthcare, respectively.

• The winners were chosen from a pool of 212 nominations spanning 27 Indian States by an international jury of scientists, clinicians, technologists, and engineers.
• Each winner will receive ₹2 crore to advance their research and scale its real-world impact.

Sanmitra initiative

News –

• The Karnataka State Police Department has rolled out ‘Sanmitra’ ( a good friend).

Sanmitra initiative

• It is an initiative aimed at providing sustained support, rehabilitation, and monitoring for individuals struggling with substance abuse.
• The programme seeks to address the issue not just through enforcement, but with empathy, guidance and structured rehabilitation
• Under the initiative, every police station across the State will establish a dedicated Sanmitra helpdesk.
• Police personnel designated under Sanmitra must maintain constant contact with affected individuals, engage with their families, and coordinate with mental health professionals to track monthly progress.
• Station heads must collect progress reports from Sanmitra personnel every two weeks and submit confidential monthly reports to the respective SP or DCP in sealed covers.

Infosys Prize:

News –

• A scholar of Prakrit and Kannada poetics and a Bengaluru-based scientist are among six winners of the Infosys Prize 2025.

Additional Information – Infosys prize

• The Infosys Science Foundation (ISF) announced the winners of the Infosys Prize 2025 in six categories-

1. Economics
2. Engineering and Computer Science,
3. Humanities and Social Sciences,
4. Life Sciences,
5. Mathematical Sciences
6. Physical Sciences.

• The prize honours the accomplishments of individuals whose research and scholarship significantly impact India.
• The prize for each category comprises a gold medal, a citation, and a prize purse of $100,000 (or its equivalent in rupees).

Karnataka space tech policy 2025-2030

News –

• The state government approved the Karnataka Space Technology policy 2025-2030

Karnataka’s Space Technology Policy 2025–2030

• It was unveiled in November 2025 at the Bengaluru Tech Summit.
• It is a strategic blueprint aimed at establishing the state as a global hub for space innovation and manufacturing.

Key Objectives

• The policy sets ambitious targets for the state’s space industry:
• Market Share: Capture 50% of the national space market (projected at USD 22 billion by 2033) and 5% of the global market.
• Investment: Attract a cumulative investment of USD 3 billion into the state’s space ecosystem.
• Talent: Train and upskill 50,000 students and professionals, including 15,000 women, in specialized space domains.
• Startups: Support 500 space startups and MSMEs, with a goal to facilitate the design, manufacture, and launch of 50 satellites from Karnataka.
• Significance – The policy aligns with the Indian Space Policy 2023 and the national goals of establishing a Bharatiya Antariksh Station by 2035 and landing an Indian astronaut on the Moon by 2040.

Mekedatu reservoir project

News –

• The Supreme Court termed Tamil Nadu’s application challenging the proposed construction of a reservoir by Karnataka at Mekedatu across the inter-state river Cauvery as “premature” and refused to entertain it.

Connect with the basics –  Cauvery River System

• Origin – Talakaveri
• Total length of the River – 805 km
• Flowing – Eastern
• Flows through – Karnataka, Kerala, Tamilnadu & Pondicherry.
• Tributaries – Arkavathy, Shimsha, Hemavati, Kapila, Honnuhole, Amravati, Lakshmana Tirtha, Kabini, Lokapavani, Bhavani and Noyyal.

Mekedatu Project

• The Mekedatu project is a balancing reservoir and drinking water project.
• Built across – It is to be built at the confluence of the Cauvery and Arkavathi rivers by the Karnataka Government.
• Objective – The project is aimed at solving the drinking water problems of the Bengaluru and Ramanagara district.
• Significance – It would also generate 400 MW of hydroelectric power.
• Concerns with the project – Almost 63% of the forest area of the Cauvery Wildlife Sanctuary will be submerged because of the project.

Nadoja Baraguru award

News –

• For the year 2025, social activist, writer, and former Minister T. Lalitha Nayak has been selected for the award in the Literary field, while Shivarudraiah will be honored in the Cinema field

Baragur Awards

• Awarding Organisation – Nadoja Dr. Baragur Pratishtana foundation
• Objective -It presents awards annually to various individuals for their contributions to different fields.
• The award comprises a plaque and a cash prize of ₹25,000.

Awardees of 2025

• T. Lalitha Nayak (Field – Literature)
• Shivarudraiah (Field – Cinema)

Karnataka Information Technology Policy 2025-2030

News –

• Karnataka will be spending ₹967 crore towards varied incentives under the Karnataka Information Technology Policy 2025-2030

Karnataka Information Technology Policy 2025-2030

• Mandate – It is a strategic blueprint that transitions the state’s focus from traditional IT services to deep technology innovation.
• It aims to position Karnataka as a global leader in areas like AI, quantum computing, and cybersecurity.
• The policy, approved by the state cabinet in November 2025, emphasizes equitable growth through a ‘Beyond Bengaluru’ initiative and has a total outlay of ₹967.12 crore over five years.

Key Vision and Targets

• The policy is designed around the “FRAME” architecture (Frontier & Emerging Technologies, Regional Development, Alignment, Market Creation, Enterprise Facilitation)

‘Promoting HEALTH in Agumbe’

News –

• A team from NITK Surathkal have completed the deployment of 100 internet connections in Agumbe on November 8, under the project ‘Promoting HEALTH in Agumbe’

Promoting HEALTH in Agumbe

• It is an initiative led by Dr. Mohit P. Tahiliani from NITK Surathkal
• HEALTH stands for- Healthcare, Education, Agriculture, Livelihood, Technology, and Heritage.
• Objective – The project’s recent major achievement was providing reliable internet connectivity to 100 locations in Agumbe by enabling digital access for local institutions, businesses, and homes in this remote and ecologically sensitive region.

Initiative pillars

• Healthcare: Facilitating access to online health information and services.
• Education: Allowing students and educators to utilize online resources and learning platforms.
• Agriculture: Enabling better communication and access to information for the agricultural community.
• Livelihood: Improving local commerce through online visibility, booking systems, and support for local businesses like homestays.
• Technology: Delivering reliable internet to a region with frequent power outages and challenging terrain.
• Heritage: Supporting research and preservation efforts, such as those related to the King Cobras.

KSRTC launches Flybus service between KIA and Davangere

News –

• The Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) launched a new direct Flybus (Volvo multi-axle) service between Kempegowda International Airport (KIA) in Bengaluru and Davangere.

Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC)

• Ownership: Wholly owned by the Government of Karnataka.
• Services: KSRTC operates various types of services, from non-AC “Karnataka Sarige” and “Gramantara Sarige” buses to luxury AC classes like “Airavat Club Class,” “Ambaari Dream Class,” and electric “EV- Power Plus+” buses.
• Coverage: It serves 17 districts in southern Karnataka and connects them to other states like Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, and Goa.
• Bifurcation: Over the years, KSRTC has been bifurcated to create other regional transport corporations to better manage services in different parts of the state, including:

1. Bangalore Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC) for the Bangalore metropolitan region.
2. North Western Karnataka Road Transport Corporation (NWKRTC) for the north-western districts.
3. Kalyana Karnataka Road Transport Corporation (KKRTC) for the north-eastern districts.

Ekya Vana

News –

• Ekya Vana is India’s first nature-inspired K-12 school, based in Bangalore.

Ekya Vana

• It is a new, purpose-driven K-12 school in Bengaluru, India,
• It is dedicated to conservation, sustainability, and environmental innovation.
• It is designed as a “living, breathing ecosystem” where students learn from and with nature.

Key Features

• Nature-Based Learning: The curriculum goes beyond traditional classroom education, using outdoor classrooms, butterfly and herb gardens, composting units, and eco-labs as core learning environments.
• Curriculum Pathways: The academic framework is built around four key pathways connecting global sustainability themes to real-world learning:

1. People & Planet
2. Earth Care
3. Living Systems
4. Energy & Innovation

• Mission: The school’s vision is to empower learners as innovators, advocates, and leaders in sustainability, preparing them to address modern challenges like climate change and biodiversity loss.
• Location: Ekya Vana is located in the Bannerghatta area of Bangalore.
• Advisory Panel: The initiative is guided by a distinguished advisory panel including notable environmentalists and industry leaders

Karnataka Private Medical Establishments (KPME) Act, 2007

News –

• The Karnataka government has amended the Karnataka Private Medical Establishments (KPME) Act, 2007,

Amendments –

• Objective – to strengthen legal provisions ensuring timely and lifesaving treatment for dog, animal, and snake bite victims.
• The amendment follows the Supreme Court’s November 7, 2025, directions in a suo motu writ petition seeking uniform access to Anti-Rabies Vaccine (ARV), immunoglobulin and emergency care across all hospitals.
• The newly inserted clause mandates that every private medical establishment must administer necessary first aid to all snake-bite or dog/animal bite victims without insisting on advance payment.

Mentoring Summit India 2025

News –

• Mentor Together will host the Mentoring Summit India 2025 on November 19 and 20, at the Bangalore International Centre, Domlur.

Mentoring Summit India 2025

• Dates: November 19-20, 2025
• Location: Bangalore International Centre, Bengaluru, Karnataka
• Host: Mentor Together
• Focus: The summit aimed to bring together mentoring practitioners, researchers, and changemakers to advance a shared vision for mentoring as a “public good” and strengthen collaboration to support young people across India.

28 blackbucks die at Belagavi zoo; infection suspected

News-

• 28 blackbucks have died at the Rani Channamma Zoo at Bhutaramanahatti in Belagavi district.
• According to preliminary information, the animals died due to a bacterial infection and samples of internal organs have been sent for tests.

Blackbuck (Antilope cervicapra)

• Appearance: Males have striking spiral horns that can reach up to 75 cm (30 inches) in length and their coat is a dark brown to black color. Females are smaller and have a reddish-brown coat without horns.
• Habitat: They are typically found in grasslands, savannas, and open forests. They prefer areas with short grass for grazing.
• Threats: Earlier extensively hunted in the princely states of India, Habitat destruction, Illegal Hunting for economic consumption
• Conservation Status: IUCN Status: Least Concern
  • CITES: Appendix III
  • Schedule I of the Wildlife Protection Act of 1972.
• State animal – Declared as state animal of Punjab, Haryana, and Andhra Pradesh.
• Cultural Importance: In Hinduism, the Blackbuck is considered a symbol of purity, with its skin and horns revered as sacred objects. In Buddhism, it represents good luck.