Bengaluru, NCP leader <keyword id="6364749" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="sharad-pawar" source="Orion">Sharad Pawar</keyword> on Tuesday joined the <keyword id="6360456" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="opposition" source="Orion">opposition</keyword> unity meeting here which will hold deliberations on giving the grouping of 26 opposition parties a name, structure and common agenda to take on the <keyword id="14666" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="bjp" source="Orion">BJP</keyword> in the 2024 Lok Sabha polls. While the first day of the meeting saw informal discussions followed by a dinner meeting, Tuesday will see formal deliberations. All political parties were asked at the dinner meeting on Monday night to suggest names for the alliance and the same would be discussed and consensus would be arrived at during the deliberations. Sources said the parties are also likely to issue a joint declaration and finalise a committee for the functioning of the grouping. Sources say the name of <keyword id="689" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="sonia-gandhi" source="Orion">Sonia Gandhi</keyword> as chairperson of the new grouping is also suggested. Sonia Gandhi was the chairperson of <keyword id="6355364" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="upa" source="Orion">UPA</keyword> 1 and 2, which remained in government from 2004 to 2014. They will also announce two sub-committees one for finalising the common minimum programme along with communication points and the other for chalking out a joint opposition programme of events, rallies and conventions. Top opposition leaders, including Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi, Mallikarjun Kharge, chief ministers of West Bengal, Bihar, Tamil Nadu, Jharkhand, and former chief ministers of Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra along with party presidents and leaders of several parties were present at the meeting on Tuesday. Pawar, who joined the meeting on day two, was accorded a warm welcome at the airport. In a Facebook post, Rahul Gandhi said, "A United Opposition- To protect our Democracy, To Safeguard India's Constitution." Discussions on state-wise seat-sharing and ironing out differences among regional outfits are on the agenda, they said, adding the issue of Manipur was discussed and the need for sending an all-party delegation to the violence-hit state stressed upon. The issue of Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) was discussed on Monday and further talks would take place on Tuesday. Among others at the meeting hosted by Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah were Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Yadav (RJD), Akhilesh Yadav (SP), Uddhav Thackeray (Shiv Sena-UBT), Farooq Abdullah (NC) and Mehbooba Mufti (PDP), besides Sitaram Yechury (CPI-M), D Raja (CPI), Jayant Chaudhary (RLD) and MDMK MP Vaiko. The Opposition meeting coincides with the NDA meeting convened on Tuesday in Delhi, where some new allies are likely to join the ruling BJP-led coalition. Talks of unity notwithstanding, differences among opposition parties, especially those who have been traditional rivals, remain and reconciling political interests will be a challenging task. Fifteen parties, including the Congress, TMC, AAP, CPI, CPI-M, RJD, JMM, NCP, Shiv Sena (UBT), SP and the JDU, attended the last meeting for opposition unity hosted by Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar in Patna on June 23. Among the parties added this time are the MDMK, KDMK, VCK, RSP, CPI-ML, Forward Bloc, IUML, Kerala Congress (Joseph) and the Kerala Congress (Mani), besides the Apna Dal (Kamerawadi) of Krishna Patel and Tamil Nadu's Manithaneya Makkal Katchi (MMK) led by M H Jawahirullah. The total strength of the opposition parties attending this meeting is around 150 in Lok Sabha.

Day two of Opposition meet: UPA likely to get new name

Bengaluru, Sep 23 (PTI) The Karnataka Assembly on Thursday passed the Karnataka Appropriation Bill, 2021 pertaining to an estimated supplementary budget of Rs 10,265.33 crore. The supplementary budget is towards defraying several charges that will come in the course of payment during the financial year 2021-22. The bill authorises payment and appropriation of certain further sums from the consolidated fund of Karnataka for services of the current fiscal. Participating in the discussion, Leader of Opposition Siddaramaiah said the supplementary budget has been introduced at a time when the state's revenues are affected due to various reasons. He said the GST compensation is not coming properly. Further, the finance minister has announced that the GST compensation may be stopped from 2022. Siddaramaiah also underlined the need to stop wasteful expenditure. Agreeing with him, Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai said he has asked his officers to curtail expenditures by five per cent. PTI GMS RC

K'taka Assembly passes supplementary budget of Rs 10,265 crore

Bengaluru, Oct 23 (IANS) Taking serious exception to the BJP's poll promise in Bihar of providing free Covid vaccine if the party is voted to power, the Congress in Karnataka termed the saffron party as "Opportunist BJP" while the Karnataka BJP countered it by asking the Congress to "remove hate Modi glasses" and know the difference between governance and poll promise. Launching a scathing attack through his Twitter handle, Leader of the Opposition Siddaramaiah said, "Would the state BJP dare to ask the Union government to provide free Covid vaccines for Kanndiagas too?" He also said that Karnataka Chief Minister Yediyurappa won't make such a promise to Kannadigas. Pointing at Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, who is a Rajya Sabha member from Karnataka, Siddaramaiah said, "Sitharaman has made it clear that distribution of Covid vaccine entirely depends on the outcome of the Bihar elections. Should the pandemic not be a concern for the Union government? What does PM Narendra Modi have to say about this? Is it vote over health and life for BJP?" Training his guns on the BJP MPs and other leaders from the saffron party, Siddaramaiah said the state has elected 25 BJP MPs and these MPs have no gumption to even make a formal demand to supply free vaccines to Karnataka. Taking pot-shots at the BJP, Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee President, D.K. Shivakumar demanded that the ruling BJP at the Centre must come out in the open on whether the Union government has started the procurement of vaccines for this disease. "If they have, they could have at least used them to save their own leaders like Union Minister of State for Railways, Suresh Angadi. Union ministers of Sitharaman's stature should not have been part of such politicking," he said while campaigning for the party candidate in R.R. Nagara, which is going to the polls on November 3. Rebutting these allegations, Karnataka BJP too tweeted, saying: "Dear @siddaramaiah If you remove your 'Hate Modi Glasses' and look around, you will see that PM @narendramodi treats all Bharatiyas as equal. It is height of stupidity that you don't understand the difference between a poll manifesto and governance." --IANS nbh/arm

Cong, BJP in K'taka cross swords over vaccine promise

50,000 cr package: OppnBengaluru,May 8 () Demanding that COVID-19 be declareda national disaster, opposition parties in Karnataka on Fridayasked the state government to pressurise the Centre to provideit a Rs 50,000 crore pecial economic package to help those indistress due to the lockdown induced by the pandemic.Raising questions about the Centre not giving Karnataka'sshare of PM CARES fund, leader of the opposition in theassembly, Siddaramaiah, urged the state to seek central aid totake steps aimed at increasing people's purchasing powerA delegation of leaders of opposition parties and farmersorganisations, headed by Siddaramaiah, met Chief Minister B SYediyurappa to discuss about COVID-19 and effect of thelockdown on the working class and also measures that can betaken to mitigate their distress. Stating that people from various strata of society had methim and shared their concerns and it was his duty as the LoPto bring it to the government's notice, he said the situationwould not have deteriorated had the centre taken adequateprecautionary measures before enforcing the lockdown.He said the government should have stopped flightservices much before and facilities should have been providedfor migrant workers."Corona should be declared as national disaster... thereis over Rs 35,000 crore money in PM Cares.. not even a paisehas come to the state. At least the Center should have givenus the money that had gone from the state," he was quoted assaying in a release by his office.With no money, people will not have purchasing power,without which there will not be a demand in the market,Siddaramaiah said.He quoted experts as having said that when there ispurchasing power, financial activities will increase andkeeping this in mind state should seek for central assistance.Welcoming the Rs 1,610 crore relief package announced bythe Chief Minister for those in distress due to the lockdown,he said several needy people have been kept out of its ambit.He said the one time compensation of Rs 5,000 eachannounced for thousands of washermen, barbers, auto rickshawand taxi drivers was inadequate and that the government shouldinstead give them Rs 2000 per month until the lockdown ends.Siddaramaiah also asked the state government to spendmoney available in various organisations for those affected. Advising the government to conduct more corona tests,Siddaramaiah asked it to ensure that Personal ProtectiveEquipment and testing kits are available at all districts.He also asked the administration to take allprecautionary preventive measures as expert doctors havepredicted that infections may increase in June and July.Demanding incentives for ASHA (Accredited Social HealthActivist) workers, the former Chief Minister said a scientificsurvey has to be done on losses to flower, fruit and vegetablegrowers and compensation given accordingly.People belonging to sections like goldsmiths, carpenters,cobblers, tailors and iron smiths should be considered underthe package, he added.The government on Wednesday had announced announced Rs1,610 crore relief package for the benefit of those indistress due to the COVID-19-induced lockdown.The measures announced by the Chief Minister B SYediyurappa include compensation of Rs 5,000 each to thousandsof washermen, barbers, auto rickshaw and taxi drivers, whosedaily lives have been affected.It also aims at providing relief to farmers, Rs 25,000/hacompensation for affected flower-growers, certain relaxationin electricity bills for MSMEs and large industries, depositRs 2,000 directly to the bank account of the handloom weaver,and Rs 3,000 to building workers through DBT.The delegation also submitted a charter of demands to theCM, that includes demand for Rs 50,000 crore special economicpackage from the centre and various steps, including financialassistance or compensation aimed at mitigating trouble facedby those in distress due to the lockdown.Later the Chief Minister's Office in a statement claimedthat leaders of opposition parties complimented the stepstaken by the government to control COVID-19 and extended fullcooperation.The Chief Minister listed out steps taken by thegovernment, including announcing of Rs 1,610 crore reliefpackage and assured the opposition that sections left out ofthe package will be consider in future, it added. KSU APRRAVINDRANATH APRRAVINDRANATH

Urge centre to declare COVID-19 national disaster, demand Rs

<ul><li>Bengaluru South Member of <keyword id="9745774" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="parliament-tejasvi-surya">Parliament Tejasvi Surya</keyword> on Wednesday advised Karnataka Chief Minister <keyword id="1555094" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="b-s-yediyurappa">B.S. Yediyurappa</keyword> to go the <keyword id="9745772" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="yogi-adityanath-way">Yogi Adityanath way</keyword> in confiscating the rioters' properties to compensate for the loss to public property.</li><li>In the wake of the riots, arson and vandalism by some people on Tuesday night, he added that Bengaluru is known for its peaceful atmosphere. </li><li>He criticized former Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) president Dinesh Gundu Rao over his statement on the riots. </li></ul> Bengaluru South Member of Parliament Tejasvi Surya on Wednesday advised Karnataka Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa to go the <keyword id="43254" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Yogi-Adityanath">Yogi Adityanath</keyword> way in confiscating the rioters' properties to compensate for the loss to public property. "I request Yediyurappa to confiscate and attach the properties of the rioters and compensate the losses to public property in the same way as the Adityanath government did in Uttar Pradesh," the BJP MP said. In the wake of the riots, arson and vandalism by some people on Tuesday night, he added that Bengaluru is known for its peaceful atmosphere. "Bengaluru is known for its peace and harmonious society. We must protect this strength of our city at all costs," said Surya. The young parliamentarian attacked a couple of state Congress politicians for their statements. He criticized former Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) president Dinesh Gundu Rao over his statement on the riots. "Look at how Miya Gundu Rao is cleverly blaming the victims and sparing the perpetrators. Your stunning silence in not condemning Muslim rioters exposes how your party is completely complicit with Jihadi elements," said Surya. Rao alleged that Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) general secretary B. L. Santosh was using the Bengaluru riots to gain political mileage. Rao said, "His (Santosh's) statement is a crude attempt to communalise the issue, aimed at dividing on caste lines. Pathetic and deplorable. That's what BJP and RSS do best, play politics with dead bodies." Surya did not spare former Chief Minister Siddaramaiah either. Siddaramaiah condemned both the violent riots at Kaval Byrsandra and also the social media post which triggered the riot. He requested both the communities to stay calm and maintain peace. Reacting to the statement from Siddaramaiah, Surya said, "This is the classic spin of secularists -- to falsely equate two disproportionate events. By doing so, they try to exonerate perpetrators of violence, justify their acts as warranted and most importantly, blame alleged instigators for the mishap. The script has gotten stale, Sir". Three people died in police firing, 60 policemen were injured and several vehicles were set ablaze in Bengaluru on Tuesday night after Congress MLA Akanda <keyword id="9745773" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="srinivas-murthya">Srinivas Murthya</keyword>'s nephew Naveen posted a derogatory message on social media. He has since been arrested. SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/politics/world/news/trump-was-rushed-from-the-briefing-room-by-secret-service-after-a-shooting-outside-of-the-white-house/articleshow/77474005.cms">Trump was rushed from the briefing room by Secret Service after a shooting outside the White House</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/careers/news/mckinsey-facebook-amazon-nokia-and-some-other-companies-looking-for-a-product-manager-right-now/slidelist/77464438.cms">McKinsey, Facebook, Amazon, Nokia — and some other companies looking for a product manager right now</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/startups/news/how-karan-bajaj-sold-his-less-than-18-month-old-startup-white-hat-jr-to-byjus/articleshow/77415329.cms">A WhatsApp message, six weeks of talks and a $300 million deal – how Karan Bajaj sold his less than 18-month old startup White Hat Jr to Byju’s</a>

Detain Bengaluru rioters' properties like Yogi Adityanath did, suggests Tejasvi Surya

Bengaluru, May 11 () Amid pressure fromthe opposition to seek a special COVID-19 economic packagefrom the Centre, Karnataka Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa onMonday said he will discuss all issues with Prime MinisterNarendra Modi and put forth the state's stand. "As Chief Minister of the state, I would clearlystate our stand and suggest what needs to be done to the PrimeMinister during the meeting," Yediyurappa told reporters here. Asked whether he will seek any package, he merelysaid, "I will discuss about everything."With the focus on boosting economic activities amid agraded exit from the coronavirus-induced lockdown, PrimeMinister Narendra Modi will interact with chief ministers ofvarious states via video conference later on Monday. This will be his fifth interaction with the chiefministers after the outbreak of the novel coronavirus in thecountry. Demanding that COVID-19 be declared a nationaldisaster, a delegation of opposition parties led by leader ofopposition Siddaramaiah that met Yediyurappa on Friday hadasked the state government to pressurise the Centre to provideit a Rs 50,000 crore special economic package to help those indistress due to the lockdown induced by the pandemic. Former Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy too on Mondayasked Yediyurappa to urge Modi to announce 'COVID package'for the state. He said people, industrialists and parliamentarianshave generously contributed towards PM Cares fund for thefight against the coronavirus and Yediyurappa should remindModi about lack of financial assistance from the centre toface COVID-19. "Prime Minister Narendra Modi will discuss withChief Ministers of various states regarding coronaviruscontrol and lockdown. In this meeting state CM B S Yediyurappa will also bepresent...he should urge Modi to give special COVID packagefor the state," Kumaraswamy tweeted. Sating that the numbers reflect that COVID-19 isincreasing in the state, Kumaraswamy said along withtightening medical measures, financial compensation need to begiven to those who have faced losses. "A big state like Karnataka that contributes hugelyto the centre by collecting taxes, should get package," hesaid. During the meeting along with COVID package,Yediyurappa should also ask about GST amount,drought and floodrelief amount that are pending, he said.Due to lockdown the state is facing financialdistress and if there is no adequate assistance from thecentre, controlling COVID-19 will be difficult,the JDS leaderadded. KSU BNWELCOME BNWELCOME

CM to discuss COVID issues in Karnataka with PM, as opposition seeks spl package

(Eds: Updates, combines related stories)Bengaluru, May 8 () Karnataka recorded its biggestever single-day spike of 48 new COVID-19 cases, including aninfant, taking its total to 753 on Friday but the stategovernment ruled out any link between the surge and relaxationin lockdown curbs.The number of active cases stood at 346 with all butfive of them were in isolation at designated hospitals and instable condition. The five were undergoing treatment in theintensive care unit, a health department bulleting said."As of 5 PM on May 8, cumulatively 753 COVID-19 positivecases have been confirmed in the state, it includes 30 deathsand 376 discharges," it said.Ten people, who have recovered, were discharged onFriday. "Not a good day as far as numbers are concerned, todaybeing the day with highest number of positives," MinisterSuresh Kumar, who is government spokesperson for COVID-19related developments, told reporters.However, ruling out any connection between spike in casesand relaxation in lockdown, he said fresh cases were comingfrom place and source where patients have already testedpositive. "...As of today we cannot find connection between lockdownand spike in cases, but it is definitely a caution that ifquarantine measures are not followed properly, it will add tothe tally," he said.The 48 new cases include 14 from Davangere, 12 fromBhatkal in Uttara Kannada, 11 from Belagavi, seven fromBengaluru Urban, three from Chitradurga and one from Ballari.At least 12 of them are children (below 18 years)including a five-month old girl.Barring seven, including three with travel history toAhmedabad, all others are contacts of patients already testedpositive.On the cost per patient for treatment, the Minister saidaccording to a rough calculation shared by the BangaloreMedical College Rs 4.74 crore had been spent as of date whichincluded capital expenditure of Rs 1.40 crore for purchase ofequipment and construction of COVID-19 wards.As the hospital treated 136 patients, it worked out theaverage cost at Rs 3.49 lakh, he said adding similar reportshad been received from other COVID-19 hospitals also.Bengaluru Urban with 168 cases continued to account formaximum number of coronavirus infections, followed by Mysuru(88) and Belagavi (83).A total of 98,081 samples, including 4,546 on Friday,had been tested so far. Of them, 92,237 samples have reportednegative with 4,481 on Friday.Noting that it has come to government's notice that insome COVID-19 hospitals senior specialists, specialists andteaching faculties were not attending infected patients, Kumarsaid instructions had been given for preparing a duty rosterand ensure they too took up the work on a rotation basis.The Health department has issued a circular on makingfree lab services to the public under the National FreeDiagnostic Services at all government health facilities.Services which are not available in government labs canbe taken from identified private labs, with appropriateprocedures and payment approved by department in respectivedistricts, it said.Meanwhile, demanding that the COVID-19 be declared asnational disaster, opposition parties in the state on Fridayasked the government to bring pressure on the Centre toprovide it Rs 50,000 crore special economic package to helpthose in distress due to lockdown induced by the pandemic.Accusing the central government of not giving the state'sshare of PM CARES fund, a delegation led by Leader of theopposition in the assembly Siddaramaiah met Chief Minister B SYediyurappa and urged him to seek central assistance to takemeasures aimed at increasing the purchasing power of thepeople. KSUVS VS

Record single-day spike of 48 COVID-19 cases takes Karnataka's tally to 753

<ul><li>Governor Vajubhai Vala has given fresh deadline till 6 pm for HDK to prove majority. </li><li>Karnataka assembly has resumed after it was adjourned till 3 pm. </li><li>BJP President says that the trust vote might not be held today. </li><li>Karnataka legislative assembly is continuously being adjourned amid BJP’s demand for trust vote. </li><li>Karnataka CM HD Kumaraswamy said that he will move to the Supreme Court against the Governor’s order. </li></ul>The governor of Karnataka gave a fresh deadline to the ruling government to prove it majority by 6 pm. The CM H D Kumaraswamy has been exhaustively delaying the process, hanging on to power. BJP President Siddaramaiah had earlier said that the trust vote probably won’t be held today. The assembly has resumed after it was adjourned till 3 pm, with no progress on the much awaited trust vote. Kumaraswamy said today that he will move to the Supreme Court against the vote. Governor Vala had earlier directed the Speaker to hold the trust vote by 1:30 pm today. Also, the Congress state President was seen heading to the Supreme Court, possibly delaying it further. Kumaraswamy said, “It (trust vote) is crucial and cannot be completed by 1:30 pm. This needs to be discussed.” The opposition, BJP, has been alleging that the ruling party is delaying it, as it does not have the requisite majority. They had also staged an overnight protest by ‘sleeping’ in the Assembly. Governor is interfering: Cong JD(S) spokesman Ramesh Babu said that the CM’s counsel will move the Supreme Court today for a stay on the Governor's Thursday’s order asking him to prove majority by the deadline. “The Governor is interfering in the workings of the Legislative Assembly, which is the domain of the Speaker under the provisions of the Constitution,” Babu said. Congress-JD(S) alliance is to petition on the basis that CM Kumaraswamy had moved the confidence motion in the house on Thursday and the debate had started and so setting a deadline should be stayed by the court. In the meanwhile, one of the Congress MLAs Shreemant Patil is admitted in a hospital in Mumbai, after he complained of chest pains. Yesterday, Congress alleged that BJP has kidnapped them. Delayed Trust The trust vote which was supposed to happen yesterday, was relentlessly delayed by the ruling Congress-JD(S) coalition which might be facing an end of its run. Kumaraswamy will have to prove that his government has majority to carry on, as MLAs have been leaving his fold. BJP party members had staged an overnight dharna or protest over the delay of trust vote. Accusations, speeches and allegations between both Congress and BJP managed to delay the vote, yesterday. Finally, the state’s Governor wrote a letter to CM Kumaraswamy regarding the trust vote after senior BJP MLAs met him at the Raj Bhawan. The case of a kidnapped legislator Yesterday, the Speaker had refused to conduct the trust vote amid allegations by the Congress against the BJP for kidnapping its MLA Shreemant Patil, who had decided to take his resignation back. Speaker Ramesh Kumar had asked home minister MB Patil to give a detailed report of Shreemant after talking to his family. The Speaker said that he had received a letter in this regard named in Patil’s name, saying he would abstain from coming to the house due to health related issues. However, the Speaker asked the present Home Minister of Karnataka, MB Patil to contact Shreemath Pati’s family and give a detailed report by tomorrow. “What kind of a Speaker would I be if I proceed with a document which has no date or letterhead,” said K R Ramesh Kumar. The house was disrupted throughout the day on the issue of trust vote and when it was finally adjourned till today, BJP announced a night long strike in the assembly itself till the voting was not done. “We are demanding voting on the motion but the chief minister is reluctant to take it up as he has confirmed himself that he has lost confidence of the House and the people. Everybody knows Congress-JD(S) coalition has only 98 MLAs, we have 105,” said B S Yeddyurappa, BJP party president. Crisis mode The Karnataka state government went into a crisis mode earlier this month, after 16 of its MLAs from both the parties of the coalition government resigned. For the last two weeks, the political crisis in the state raged on, as Speaker of the Assembly refused to accept them, taking them to court. One of the rebel MLAs, Roshan Baig was also detained at Bengaluru airport and questioned, as he was stopped from taking a chartered flight, a few days back.

Karnataka Governor sets another deadline at 6 pm for Kumaraswamy to prove majority

<img class="gwt-Image" src="/photo/55202428.cms" /> The demand for professionals is surging in <keyword id="6354321" type="CITY" weightage="100" keywordseo="Bengaluru">Bengaluru</keyword> and this was indicated by the taxes IT experts were paying in the IT hub of India. Professional tax dated indicated there was a demand for more employees and <keyword id="6370971" type="CITY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Accenture">Accenture</keyword> emerged as the top employer that paid Rs 23 crore as professional tax on behalf of its employees in 2015-16, the highest among all firms, a title it held even in 2014-15 according to the Professional tax data. 
 Professional tax is the tax by the state governments in India. Anyone earning an income from salary or anyone practicing a profession such as <keyword id="6358896" type="POSITION" weightage="20" keywordseo="Chartered-Accountant">chartered accountant</keyword>, company secretary, lawyer, doctor etc. are required to pay this professional tax. It is a source of revenue for the governmentThe data highlighted the fact that nine out of ten professional companies in Bengaluru are tech companies. Only BSNL, the government-owned telecom player, is an exception. 
 
The top ten tech firms altogether paid Rs 69 crore in 2015-16. In the two financial years before that, they had paid Rs 62 crore and Rs 66 crore in professional taxes. 
 
It is anyway hard to believe that IT firms are the top tax payers anywhere and its surely confirms the importance of Bengaluru as a city. 
 “Bengaluru is the magnet for the tech industry, and adds to job numbers. I urge Chief Minister Siddaramaiah to read these trends, and address Bengaluru's infrastructure problems so that the city retains its edge." V.Balakrishnan, former director at <keyword id="6354512" type="CITY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Infosys">Infosys</keyword> told ET. 
 Accenture, <keyword id="10875" type="CITY" weightage="20" keywordseo="IBM">IBM</keyword> India, TCS, Infosys and <keyword id="10862" type="CITY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Wipro">Wipro</keyword>, in that order, were the top five professional tax payers during 2015-16. In 2013-14, Wipro had nudged Infosys to the fifth place. The latter, however, wrested the slot from Wipro in the following year. 
 
The data also showed that these companies have more permanent employees, and fewer jobs are going out of Bengaluru. 
 "This means jobs are increasing in the city because there is a direct correlation between taxes collected and the permanent jobs. And, also because the monthly tax payout per employee remains constant, Vivek Mallya, a Chartered Accountant and former partner at <keyword id="53186" type="CITY" weightage="20" keywordseo="PwC">PwC</keyword>, told ET. 
 "The tax collection numbers indicate that the multinational tech companies prefer to deepen their foothold in Bengaluru, rather than experiment with tier-II or tier-III locations. They perhaps find the best cosmopolitan culture as well as a wide talent pool in Bengaluru," Guruprasad Srinivasan, President (People Service) at <keyword id="6370333" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="Quess-Corp">Quess Corp</keyword>, told ET. 
 
An employer is required to deduct professional tax only if an employee is in the job for more than 120 days, and earns above Rs 10,000. The government levies a professional tax of Rs 150 per month on those earning above Rs 10,000 per month, and Rs 200 on those earning above Rs 15,000. Those earning below Rs 10,000 are exempt.

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