Category: State Current Affairs

State-run KMIO gets ISO certification for solid waste management

Why in news

• The State-run Kidwai Memorial Institute of Oncology (KMIO) has been awarded the ISO 14001:2015 Environmental Management System certification for its Solid Waste Management (SWM) facility.

Certification Details

• Achieved by: The State-run Kidwai Memorial Institute of Oncology (KMIO).
• Certification: The institute was awarded the ISO 14001:2015 Environmental Management System certification for its Solid Waste Management (SWM) facility in December 2025.
• Significance: This recognition makes Kidwai one of the few hospitals in the country to comply with international environmental standards, marking a major milestone in adopting environmentally responsible practices in public-sector healthcare.

Operational Mechanism

• Purpose: The initiative aims to scientifically reorganize the handling of waste generated within the tertiary care facility, a process that began in March 2020.
• Mechanism: The modern SWM facility was established under a 10-year Build–Own–Operate–Transfer (BOOT) model.
• Process: The facility was developed following a transparent tender process balancing cost and environmental standards, and the certification followed an independent audit conducted in 2025.

Bhu Suraksha project

Why in news :

• Minister for Revenue Krishna Byre Gowda launched the Bhu Suraksha Project to expand the digitisation of land records to the offices of Assistant Commissioners (ACs) and Deputy Commissioners (DCs)

About the Bhu Suraksha project

• Aim : To curb malpractice, prevent the creation of fake entries or forged documents, and improve transparency by expanding the digitization of land records to higher administrative levels.
• Launched by: The Revenue Department, Government of Karnataka.
• Scope: The project expands the digitization drive from taluk offices to the offices of Assistant Commissioners (ACs) and Deputy Commissioners (DCs) across the State.
• Mechanism: The initiative involves the systematic scanning and permanent digital preservation of original revenue records to ensure data integrity.
• Timeline: The project aims to complete the scanning of all remaining pages within the next three to four months.
• Current status : Karnataka holds an estimated 100 crore pages of land records, of which 62 crore pages have already been scanned. Computerization has been fully completed in 70 of the State’s 240 taluks.

Command centre launched to address man-animal conflict

Why in news

• Karnataka Forest Department launches tech-driven command centre to address human-animal conflict.

Launch & Objective

• Launched by: The Karnataka Forest Department (KFD).
• Aim: To enhance the monitoring and management of human-animal conflict incidents through the deployment of advanced technological tools.

Infrastructure & Technology

• Central Hub: The initiative centers on a new Integrated Command and Control Centre (ICCC) in Bengaluru.
• Network: The ICCC serves as a central hub connecting 11 Divisional Command and Control Centres (DCCC) across the State.
• Mechanism: The system employs GPS-based applications to oversee ground-level patrolling and tracks problem elephants fitted with radio collars.
• Key Functions: The centre enables real-time surveillance of sensitive and conflict-vulnerable areas while ensuring effective oversight of field operations.

Regions Covered

The network covers critical wildlife zones, including:

• Divisions:M. Hills, Madikeri, Hassan, Chikkamagaluru, Mangaluru, and Bannerghatta National Park.
• Tiger Reserves: Nagarahole, Bandipur, Bhadra, BRT, and Kali.

Highest-ever organ donations made in 2025

Why in news

• Karnataka has recorded its highest-ever number of organ donations in a single year, with 198 donations in 2025, surpassing its previous record.

Key Statistics

• Record Achievement: The State recorded 198 organ donations in 2025, surpassing the previous peak of 178 donations in 2023.
• National Standing: Karnataka ranked third in the country for organ donations in 2025, trailing only:
  • Tamil Nadu: 267 donations
  • Telangana: 205 donations
• Nodal Agency: The State Organ and Tissue Transplant Organisation (SOTTO), Karnataka, serves as the nodal agency facilitating these cadaver organ donations.

Drivers of Success

• Network Expansion: The increase is primarily attributed to the empowerment of more hospitals as Non-Transplant Organ Retrieval Centres (NTORCs).
• Tier-Two Cities: The expansion includes facilities in tier-two cities, broadening the donation network beyond major metropolitan hubs.

New 153-acre lung space proposed for Bengaluru in the name of Basavanna

Why in news

• A new 153-acre lung space has been proposed for Bengaluru, named the Vishwaguru Basavanna Biodiversity Park.

Project Overview

• Objective: To establish the Vishwaguru Basavanna Biodiversity Park, fulfilling a decade-and-a-half-old dream of creating a significant “lung space” in the northern part of the city.
• Location & Scale: The park will be developed on 153 acres in North Bengaluru.

Financial Details

• Initial Sanction: The government has sanctioned an initial ₹50 crore for the first phase.
• Total Cost: The total project cost is estimated at ₹250 crore, with additional funding expected from companies under Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR).

Historical Significance

• Legacy: This marks the first major botanical garden project in over 150 years, following the establishment of Bengaluru’s historic green spaces:
  • Lalbagh: Established in 1760 across 240 acres.
  • Cubbon Park: Started in 1870 across 194 acres.

Kuvempu Bhasha Bharathi Pradhikara: Annual awards

Why it in news :

• Kuvempu Bhasha Bharathi Pradhikara, will hold a literary event on January 9 to present the 2025 Annual Honorary Awards and the 2024 Book Awards.

Honorary Awards winners

• Eminent personalities J.V. Karlo, Prof. Vanamala Viswanatha, K.R. Sandhya Reddy, Dr. Vittalarao T. Gaikwad, and Dr. J.P. Doddamani will receive the honorary awards.

The book awards winners

• The Book Awards will be conferred on Dr. Nataraj Honnavalli, Dr. Sadanand R, Karthik R, Dr. Malleshappa Siddarampura, and Dr. Devaraj N for their outstanding literary contributions.

Leopard of ultra-rare colour variation spotted in State for the first time

Why in news

• An ultra-rare leopard colour morph has been documented for the first time in Karnataka, in the Vijayanagara district, by wildlife scientist Sanjay Gubbi.

Key Features & Significance

• Distinctive Appearance: Unlike the standard leopard which possesses a tawny coat with black rosettes, this morph is characterized by a pale reddish-pink coat (sandalwood hue) with light-brown rosettes.
• Global Significance: This is a globally significant finding as only a handful of such leopards have been documented worldwide.
• Nomenclature: While internationally known as “Strawberry leopards,” Mr. Gubbi has proposed naming this morph the “Sandalwood leopard” to honour Karnataka’s cultural heritage.

Cabinet approves 1,000-bed hospital in Bengaluru for free organ transplant for poor

Why in news :

• The Karnataka government will facilitate setting up a 1,000-bed multi-speciality hospital meant for free organ transplants in collaboration with Azim Premji Foundation in Bengaluru.

Key Highlights

• Purpose: To benefit the poor by establishing a dedicated healthcare facility for free organ transplants (kidney, liver, lungs, and others) and facilitating smooth organ harvesting and transport due to its proximity to NIMHANS.
• Location: The facility will be built on 10 acres of land provided by the government on a 99-year lease, located adjacent to NIMHANS in Bengaluru.
• Investment & Management: The Foundation will invest ₹1,000 crore to set up the facility and is estimated to spend ₹350 crore annually for maintenance. The hospital will be managed by a board that includes three government representatives.
• Capacity & Timeline: A 350-bed facility is scheduled for completion within the next three years, which will be scaled up to a 1,000-bed multi-speciality facility over the next five years.
• Cost Model: Billed as a unique model, 70% of beds will be free, while 30% will be available at a nominal cost (covered under the Ayushman Bharat-Arogya Karnataka scheme).
• Current Context & Demand: The initiative addresses the critical backlog of over 5,000 patients awaiting kidney transplants and 1,000+ patients awaiting liver transplants in the State, supplementing the existing liver transplant facilities functioning at the Institute of Gastro Enterology Sciences since 2016.

Additional information

Ayushman Bharat-Arogya Karnataka scheme.

• Originally introduced as “Arogya Karnataka” by the Government of Karnataka on March 2, 2018, and later integrated with the Union Government’s Ayushman Bharat on October 30, 2018.
• The scheme is implemented in an “Assurance Mode” by the State Government under the co-branded name “Ayushman Bharat-Arogya Karnataka.”

Aim or Objective

• The primary goal is to provide Universal Health Coverage (UHC) to all residents of the State.
• It aims to provide financial protection against the costs of simple secondary, complex secondary, tertiary, and emergency medical procedures.

Benefits

• Eligible Households (BPL and RSBY beneficiaries) receive 100% coverage with a Basic Sum Assured of ₹5,00,000 per family per annum.
• General Households (APL) receive a government subsidy of 30% of the package rate up to a limit of ₹1.5 lakh per family per annum on a co-payment basis.
• Beneficiaries can access emergency procedures directly at any empanelled hospital (public or private) without payment and without needing a referral.

Criteria

• “Eligible Households” are defined as those covered under the NFSA 2013, holding BPL ration cards, or enrolled RSBY beneficiaries.
• “General Households” include residents not defined as eligible households, typically holding APL cards.
• Primary treatments and simple secondary procedures are restricted to Public Health Institutes (PHIs)
• Access to complex secondary and tertiary procedures in private hospitals is conditional upon obtaining a referral from a Public Health Institute.
• Emergency treatment does not require a referral and can be availed at any empanelled hospital.

Features

• The scheme operates on an “Assurance Mode” rather than a traditional insurance model.
• Beneficiaries are issued an AB-ArK Card at PHIs or Citizen Service Centers for a fee of ₹10 (paper) or ₹35 (plastic).
• The Government of India funds 60% of the expenditure for SECC 2011 and RSBY families, while the State Government bears the remaining 40%.
• The Government of Karnataka bears 100% of the cost for all remaining eligible families and provides the subsidy for the 19 lakh APL families not covered by the central scheme.

Sarige Mitra’ app launched

Why in news :

• KSRTC launches ‘Sarige Mitra’ HRMS mobile app 2.0 to boost employee services

About Sarige Mitra app

• Launched by: The Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC), inaugurated by Transport Minister Ramalinga Reddy as a New Year initiative.
• Purpose: The “Sarige Mitra” Human Resource Management System (Version 2.0) is designed to provide real-time human resource services through smartphones, enabling access to a wide range of information at the employees’ fingertips.
• Target : The system is tailored for KSRTC employees to facilitate seamless digital interaction with their employment data.
• Key Features: It incorporates advanced utilities including a geo-fencing-based attendance system, monthly attendance tracking, and one-click downloads of monthly payslips.
• Mechanism: The app functions as a comprehensive mobile interface offering immediate access to critical personal and professional records.

Bescom launches mobile app to monitor transformers

Why in news :

• Bescom has developed a new mobile application named ‘Distribution Transformer Life Cycle Management System’ (DTLMS)

About DTLMS

• Developed by: The Bangalore Electricity Supply Company (Bescom) has created a mobile application called the Distribution Transformer Life Cycle Management System (DTLMS).
• Aim: The primary objective is to ensure quality and uninterrupted power supply to consumers.
• Target Scope: The system helps monitor and systematically carry out preventive maintenance of more than five lakh distribution transformers across eight districts under Bescom’s jurisdiction.
• Mechanism: The app enables officials to continuously monitor the operation, repairs, and efficiency of distribution transformers.
• Data Input: Field officers can enter all transformer maintenance details directly into the application, ensuring real-time tracking of assets.