Udupi Nov 28: Karnataka Home Minister and Senior BJP leader Dr V S Acharya today defended the hike in power tariff with effect from December 1 stating that it was done after a gap of six years.

Reacting to criticism by the Oppostion for the proposed hike in power tariff, Dr Acharya told newsmen here that since 2003 there had been no hike. Even during summer last year with acute power shortage, the government had provided power without effecting any hike despite procuring power from outside the state to meet the demand. He said against the total demand of 125 million units, the hydel power produced from all the reservoirs was only 40 million units, forcing the state to purchase 85 million units of power at higher price from outside the state.

All India Inter Health University Meet from Dec 5

Manipal Nov 28: Manipal University will host the second All India Inter Health University Athletics Championship here from December 5 to 7. Briefing newspersons today Dr H S Ballal, Pro Chancellor, Manipal University, said 207 athletes from 12 Health Universities across the country, including medical, dental and nursing were expected to participate in the three-day event. He said 119 men and 88 women will participate in the track and field events, with the largest contingent of 40 from Rajiv Gandhi University of Health Sciences, Bangalore, the defending champions in both the sections. Manipal University were the runners-up in the mens section and Maharashtra University of Health Sciences, Nasik in the womens section, he said.

The teams in fray are: Rajiv Gandhi University of Health Sciences, Bangalore; The Tamilnadu Dr MGR Medical University, Chennai; SVIMS University Tirupati; KLE University Belgaum; Maharashtra University of Health Sciences, Nashik; Sri Devraj Urs Medical College; Tamaka, Kolar, Yenepoya University, Mangalore; Nitte University, Mangalore; Dr N.T.R. University of Health Science, Vijayawada; Sri B.M. Patil Medical College, BLDE University, Sholapur Road, Bijapur; Baba Farid University of Health Sciences, Faridkot; and Manipal University, Manipal.

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