"Adopt a Monument" or "Adopt a Heritage 2.0" program
Context
‘Namma Smaraka — Adopt a Monument’ programme has struggled to meet its stated objective, with only 23 of the over 800 State-protected monuments drawing interest so far.
- Initiative was launched in September 2022 and moved online in 2023 to simplify applications and reduce paperwork.
- It was introduced as part of the government’s effort to encourage private participation and divert CSR funds towards maintaining monuments, and to showcase the State as not just ‘One State, Many Worlds’ but ‘One State, Many Monuments’.
‘Namma Smaraka — Adopt a Monument’ initiative
- Launch Year: 2023.
- It invites corporates, NGOs, institutions, and individuals (known as Smaraka Mitras) to adopt, develop, and maintain the state’s protected heritage sites while boosting sustainable tourism and local economies.
- Adopters are responsible for creating a strategic vision, gap analysis, and executing development plans. This includes providing basic visitor infrastructure (sanitation, drinking water, lighting) and funding advanced amenities (technology centers, audio-guides, signages, and surveillance).
- The estimated cost of adopting a monument is roughly ₹50 lakh over a 3-year period.
Digital grievance redressal system for gig workers
Context
Karnataka State government launches digital grievance redressal system for gig workers
- Karnataka government launched India’s first digital grievance redressal system for gig and platform workers on International Workers’ Day to address arbitrary account deactivations, withheld payments, and unfair working conditions.
- The mechanism is a joint initiative developed by the Karnataka Platform-Based Gig Workers’ Board and the Department of e-Governance.
- It provides legal recourse to delivery agents, ride-hailing drivers, and digital freelancers.
Features
- Workers can log complaints via the state’s Integrated Public Grievance Redressal System (IPGRS) portal and the Janaspandana app.
- Filed grievances automatically route to the Internal Dispute Resolution Committee (IDRC) of the specific aggregator.
- Under the Karnataka Platform-Based Gig Workers (Social Security and Welfare) Act, 2025, every digital platform must establish an IDRC.
- The IDRC must attempt a resolution within 15 working days and issue a final order within 45 days.
- Workers can appeal unsatisfactory IDRC decisions to the Karnataka Gig Workers welfare board within 30 days
Respiratory surveillance for traffic personnel
Context
Karnataka Home Department launched a first-of-its-kind statewide respiratory health surveillance and research program for traffic police and frontline personnel.
- The initiative aims to scientifically monitor urban air pollution impacts and guide preventive policies.
- The initiative follows a two-year screening project conducted at Vaayu Chest and Sleep Specialists in Bengaluru.
Core pillars
- Rolling out initial respiratory health and general health assessments to personnel statewide.
- Utilizing non-invasive diagnostic tools to catch early signs of obstruction or lung damage.
- Following high-risk cohorts over a five-year period to track medium- and long-term health outcomes.
- Converting field data directly into actionable scientific evidence to shape preventive occupational laws and urban pollution guidelines.
‘Bhu Guarantee’
Context
State government unveils its sixth promise ‘Bhu Guarantee’.
- Bhu Guarantee (or Bhoo Guarantee) is the Karnataka government’s sixth major guarantee scheme, aiming to provide secure digital property rights, issue e-Khatas, and regularize unauthorized lands across the state, with a major focus on Bengaluru.
Features
- B-Khata to A-Khata Conversion: Offers a 100-day one-time settlement allowing B-Khata holders to convert properties to A-Khata by paying only (2%) of the property’s guidance value (reduced from (5%).
- Building Regularization: The permissible limit for minor building plan deviations and structural violations has been increased from (5%) to (15%) to help more properties qualify for regularisation and utility connections.
- Door-to-Door Delivery: Over 23 lakh secure digital property records and e-Khatas are being distributed to property owners in Bengaluru to ensure land records are tamper-proof.
- Citizen Open Houses: Weekly “e-Khata Citizen Open Houses” are held at over 50 locations across Bengaluru to resolve grievances, process applications, and correct property records
- Free Title Deeds (Hakku Patra) for the Marginalised: For rural and economically weaker sections living in informal settlements (such as Lambani Tandas, Gollarahattis, and unrecorded hamlets), the government converts their localities into formal revenue villages.
- Eligible citizens receive free, legally binding land ownership titles (Hakku Patra). However, to prevent real-estate exploitation, owners are legally prohibited from selling these properties for 15 years.
- Technology Integration: To completely rule out fake records, bribery, and real-estate fraud, the entire campaign leverages drone surveys, GPS property mapping, and Aadhaar-linked verification