Mangalore, November 27: The process of upgrading the three National Highways passing through South Kanara district into four lane roads would begin in two months, Vijaya Kumar Shetty, MLA from Surathkal said here recently.  The National Highways passing through the district for about 40 kilometres, would be developed into four-way lane during the first phase in three years, Shetty said.

Addressing a press conference here the MLA said the work would be completed in three phases. The NH portion from Bantwal Cross to Surathkal would be taken for four way upgrade in the first phase and the three stretches of the road work are Bantwal Cross to Padil Circle, Padil Circle to Nanthoor Circle and Nanthoor Circle to Surathkal, B. S. Balakrishna, National Highway Executive Engineer who was present provided the technical details of the work.

As many as seven contractors had been identified for taking up the work and work would be allotted within two months after checking the financial stability and capacity of the contractors to do the job, Balakrishna said quoting Jithendra Kumar, DGM, NH Authority, whom he had met in Delhi recently. Vijaya Kumar Shetty also said that water connections for weaker sections were being provided by the Corporation.
 

Mangalore, November 27: Technology is likely to soon take the centre stage in the banking sector, said R. S. Pai, Chief Manager, State Bank of India, Staff Training College, Bangalore here recently.  Pai was making a multi media presentation on the trends in banking at an interactive meet on ‘Banking in the 21st Century for building a better tomorrow’ under the joint auspices of the SBI, Mangalore branch, Lions Club Mangalore Midtown and Kanara Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

Pai said the SBI has already embarked on a technology drive in this direction, which would revolutionise the banking habits of its customers. Revealing that the bank was launching an ambitious Core Banking Solution programme, which would network majority of its business branches within the next one year, he said it would ensure that transactions between branches were conducted on real time basis.

K. S. Somayaji, Assistant General Manager, SBI Mangalore branch who inaugurated the programme and moderated the interactive session, informed that SBI would add four more ATMs in Mangalore to its existing network of five ATMs.  Giridhar Prabhu, president of Kanara Chamber of Commerce and Industry

Dominos Pizza conduct contests for kids
 

Mangalore, November 27: Promoting Indian culture and instilling values like honesty, hard work, time consciousness, spirit of sacrifice and national unity is the best way for celebrating Children's Day, said Prof. Matilda Pinto here recently.  Giving away the prizes to winners of the competitions including essay writing and singing conducted for children by Domino's Pizza India Limited, Prof. Pinto said what the children needed was models to emulate and therefore teachers and parents must set an example for children, she said.  She also asked other institutions to follow the example of the Dominoes in arranging programmes for children. Children from 46 schools participated.