Mangaluru: Veteran journalist Manohar Prasad passes away

Kannada actor Harshavardhini Ranya – also known as Ranya Rao, arrested for smuggling gold from Dubai – was allotted land to set up a steel plant by the previous Karnataka government in February 2023, said the Karnataka Industrial Area Development Board (KIADB) said on Sunday.

Ranya Rao was found to be in possession of gold bars worth ₹12.56 crore at the Kempegowda International Airport in Bengaluru. Searches were also conducted at her residence, and gold jewellery worth ₹2.06 crore and Indian currency amounting to ₹2.67 crore were seized, the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence had said on Wednesday.

Ranya is the stepdaughter of DGP-rank senior IPS officer Ramachandra Rao.

The KIADB's statement comes after reports claimed that a company linked to Ranya Rao was allotted 12 acres of industrial land by the board in 2023.

The office of the minister for medium and large industries MB Patil shared the government's final notification issued on February 22, 2023, regarding the allocation of land to Ranya Rao's firm Ksiroda India at the Sira Industrial Area in the Tumakuru district, news agency PTI reported.

The Congress came to power after defeating the Basavaraj Bommai-led Bharatiya Janata Party in the Karnataka assembly election in May 2023.

The proceedings of the Karnataka government, shared by the minister's office, said, "Approval to the proposal of M/s Ksiroda India Private Limited to establish a unit for manufacture of 'steel products - TMT bars, rods and allied products' at Sira Industrial Area, Tumakuru district.

"The government is pleased to accord in-principle approval to the investment proposal of ₹138 crore, generating employment to about 160 persons with the following infrastructure assistances, incentives and concessions," it said.

In a press release issued by MB Patil's office, the KIADB said the allotment to the company linked to Ranjya Rao was done in January 2023.

KIADB CEO Mahesh said on Sunday Ksiroda India was allotted 12 acres of land on January 2, 2023, by the previous government, referring to the BJP, the PTI report added.

"The land, located in Sira Industrial Area, Tumakuru district, was approved for allotment during the 137th State Level Single Window Clearance Committee (SLSWCC) meeting held on the same day, when the last govt was in power," PTI quoted Mahesh as saying.

According to the KIADB press release, the company had submitted a proposal to set up a manufacturing unit for steel TMT bars, rods, and allied products, with an investment of ₹138 crore. The project was expected to generate approximately 160 jobs.

Ramachandra Rao is currently serving as the chairman and managing director of the Karnataka State Police Housing and Infrastructure Development Corporation Ltd.

The total seizure in the case stood at ₹17.29 crore, including assets worth ₹4.73 crore, marking a significant blow to organised gold smuggling networks.

In a significant policy shift, the central government has amended the passport application process, making birth certificates the sole valid proof of date of birth for individuals born on or after October 1, 2023. This move aims to streamline documentation and ensure uniformity in age verification.

Mandatory Birth Certificate for New Applicants

The new rule, announced last week as part of the amended Passport Rules, will take effect after its publication in the official Gazette. As per a notification dated February 24, the Ministry of External Affairs has revised the requirements for submitting proof of date of birth when applying for a passport.

For individuals born on or after October 1, 2023, only birth certificates issued by the Municipal Corporation, the Registrar of Births and Deaths, or any other authorized body under the Registration of Births and Deaths Act, 1969, will be accepted as valid proof of date of birth.

However, those born before this date can continue to submit alternative documents, including school transfer certificates, matriculation certificates, PAN cards, driving licenses, or extracts from service records.

Changes in Residential Information

To enhance privacy, applicants’ residential addresses will no longer be printed on the final page of passports. Instead, immigration officers will retrieve this information by scanning an embedded barcode.

New Colour-Coded Passports

The government has also introduced a colour-coding system for passports:

• White passports for government officials
• Red passports for diplomats
• Blue passports for ordinary citizens

Parental Information No Longer Required

Another major change is the removal of parents' names from the last page of the passport. This revision is aimed at protecting personal information, particularly for individuals from separated or split families.

Expansion of Passport Seva Kendras

To enhance accessibility, the government plans to increase the number of Post Office Passport Seva Kendras (POPSKs) from 442 to 600 over the next five years. The Department of Posts and the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) have extended their Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to facilitate this expansion, ensuring continued passport services at POPSKs.

Officials noted that passport rules regarding date of birth had not been updated for a long time, largely because many rural residents lacked birth certificates. However, with stricter enforcement of the Registration of Births and Deaths Act, 1969, birth certificates have now become the only recognized proof for those born after October 1, 2023.

These sweeping changes mark a significant update in India’s passport application process, reinforcing security, privacy, and efficiency in document verification.

ಫೆಬ್ರವರಿ 22 ನೇ ಶನಿವಾರ ಸಂಜೆ ದುಬೈ ಡೌನ್ ಟೌನ್ ನ ಪಂಚತಾರಾ ಹೋಟೆಲ್ ಪುಲ್ಲ್'ಮನ್ ನಲ್ಲಿ ಅಲ್ ಮಿರಾತ್ ರಿಯಲ್ ಎಸ್ಟೇಟ್ಸ್ 2025 ರ ವಾರ್ಷಿಕೋತ್ಸವವನ್ನು ವಿಜೃಂಭಣೆಯಿಂದ ಆಚರಿಸಿತು.

ಮುಖ್ಯ ಅತಿಥಿಯಾಗಿ ಮಾನ್ಯ ಅಬ್ದುಲ್ಲ ಅಹಮದ್ ಶಿಝಾವಿ (Chairman of Total Building Contracting) ಯವರು ಭಾಗವಹಿಸಿ ಕಾರ್ಯಕ್ರಮಕ್ಕೆ ಮೆರುಗು ನೀಡಿದರು. ಸಭೆಯನ್ನು ಉದ್ದೇಶಿಸಿ ಮಾತನಾಡಿದ ಅವರು ದುಬೈ ರಿಯಲ್ ಎಸ್ಟೇಟ್ ಕ್ಷೇತ್ರದಲ್ಲಿ ಮಿರಾತ್ ನ ಕೊಡುಗೆ ಪ್ರಶಂಶನೀಯ, ಸಂಸ್ಥೆಯು ಈ ಮಟ್ಟಕ್ಕೆ ಸಾಧನೆಗೈಯಲು ಮಾಲಕರ ಅನುಭವೀಯ ಮಾರ್ಗದರ್ಶನ ಹಾಗೂ ಉದ್ಯೋಗಿಗಳ ಟೀಂ ವರ್ಕ್ ಮೂಲ ಕಾರಣ ಎಂದರು. ಮುಂದಿನ ವರ್ಷಗಳಲ್ಲಿ ದುಬೈ ರಿಯಲ್ ಎಸ್ಟೇಟ್ ಕ್ಷೇತ್ರದಲ್ಲಿ ಮಿರಾತ್ ಉತ್ತಮ ಪ್ರಗತಿಯನ್ನು ಸಾಧಿಸಲಿ ಎಂದು ಶುಭ ಹಾರೈಸಿದರು.

ಕಾರ್ಯಕ್ರಮದಲ್ಲಿ ಅಬ್ದುಲ್ ರಹಿಮಾನ್ ರನ್ನು 2024 ರ BEST PERFORMER,  ಅಹಮದ್ ಕಬೀರ್ ರನ್ನು RISING STAR, ಅಶ್ರಫ್ ಅಹಮ್ಮದ್ ರನ್ನು EMPLOYEE OF THE YEAR ಹಾಗೂ ಮೊಹಮ್ಮದ್ ರಿಝ್ವಾನ್ ರನ್ನು OUTSTANDING FEEDBACK ಪ್ರಶಸ್ತಿಗಳನ್ನು ನೀಡಿ ಗೌರವಿಸಲಾಯಿತು.

ಮಿರಾತ್ ರಿಯಲ್ ಎಸ್ಟೇಟ್ ನ ಚೇರ್ಮನ್ ಶ್ರೀ ಸಾದಿಕ್ ಅಲಿ ಯವರು ಮಾತನಾಡಿ ರಿಯಲ್ ಎಸ್ಟೇಟ್ ನ ಹೂಡಿಕೆಗೆ ದುಬೈ ಅತ್ಯುತ್ತಮ ಮಾರುಕಟ್ಟೆಯಾಗಿದೆ. 2024 ರಲ್ಲಿನ ಆಸ್ತಿ ಖರೀದಿದಾರರಲ್ಲಿ 51% ಭಾರತೀಯರು ಮಾತ್ರವಲ್ಲ ಆ ವರ್ಷ 760 ಬಿಲಿಯನ್ ದಿರಾಮ್ ನ ದಾಖಲೆಯ ಪ್ರಾಪರ್ಟಿ ವಹಿವಾಟು ನಡೆದಿದೆ ಎಂಬ ಮಾಹಿತಿಯನ್ನು ನೀಡಿದರು. ನಮ್ಮ ಸಂಸ್ಥೆಯು ಉತ್ತಮ ಹಾಗೂ ಗುಣಮಟ್ಟದ ಸೇವೆಗೆ ಗ್ರಾಹಕರ ಪ್ರಶಂಸೆಗೆ ಪಾತ್ರವಾಗಿದೆ.

ಕಾರ್ಯಕ್ರಮದಲ್ಲಿ ಅತಿಥಿಗಳಾಗಿ ಮಾನ್ಯ ಮೊಹಮ್ಮದ್ ಅಬ್ದುಲ್ರಹೀಮ್ ಮೊಹಮ್ಮದ್ ಎ ಅಲಹಮ್ಮದ್, ಮಾನ್ಯ ಯಾಸರ್ ಅಬ್ದುಲ್ಲ ಅಬ್ದುಲ್ ಖಾದರ್ ರವರು ಭಾಗವಹಿಸಿದ್ದರು.

ಅಬ್ದುಲ್ಲಾ ಹಮ್ದಾನ್ ಸಂಸ್ಥೆಯ ವಾರ್ಷಿಕ ವರಧಿಯನ್ನು ಮಂಡಿಸಿದರು, ಅತಿಥಿಗಳ ಸ್ವಾಗತ ಹಾಗೂ ಧನ್ಯವಾದವನ್ನು ರಿಧಾನ್ ರಶೀದ್ ನೆರವೇರಿಸಿದರು. ರಿಝ್ವಾನ್ ಕಾರ್ಯಕೃಮ ನಿರೂಪಿಸಿದರು.