From our Special Correspondent
Daijiworld Media Network
Bengaluru, Mar 9: Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai stated that in Nava Karnataka, the last person in society must receive the status of the first person.
Speaking after inaugurating a function for the distribution of various benefits to SC beneficiaries and the awareness program in Bengaluru on Thursday, he said that in India and Karnataka, people from various economic statuses and communities live.
Bharath Ratna Dr B R Ambedkar gave rights to the oppressed classes since the pre-independence era and brought them into the mainstream of society by empowering them with education, jobs, and social status. The community people are helping in building the nation, he said.
Social audit
Bommai said that after 75 years of implementing the Constitution, it is time to reflect and understand how much progress has been made in fulfilling the dreams of Dr Ambedkar.
"This reflection must happen once every 10 years. Besides, a social auditor is necessary to see how much government schemes have reached communities, improved people's lifestyles, how many communities have taken advantage of these opportunities, and how many have not received them,'' he emphasized.
The Chief Minister said that he has seen only a few benefitting from reservations and getting them repeatedly. They know well how to access the rights enshrined in the Constitution, but people living in villages, slums, and poverty-stricken areas are not aware of them.
Even after seven decades of independence, they have not been able to ensure that everyone has access to these rights. When people are not aware of their rights, taking advantage of them becomes a distant thought. There are loopholes in the program, but efforts are being made to reach the last person in society.
Those responsible for not providing benefits to the needy in the last 75 years must take responsibility and reflect, he said.
Gangakalyana for 17,000 people
Bommai said that his government has been implementing programs in different ways. Under the Ganga Kalayana scheme, Rs 595 crore has been sanctioned for 17,000 beneficiaries.
In the first phase, Rs 75,000 has been transferred directly to the bank accounts of 8,000 beneficiaries. They must get borewells sunk, fix the pump sets, and get energized as per the law.
Middlemen have been eliminated in all the corporations. Justice can be ensured if the beneficiaries sink the borewells in their fields and make the inspection of the same.
Corporations have several schemes for self-employment, but their success is a big question mark. Over Rs 250 crore have been provided to distribute 100 two-wheelers in each Assembly constituency in the name of Babu Jagjeevan Ram to enable the SC/ST communities to do business. Several people are into delivery jobs, and two-wheelers will change their lives, he said.
Mega Hostel
He said that children from rural areas will come to Bengaluru, Mysuru, Kalaburgi, Hubballi-Dharwad, and Mangaluru, and for them, hostels are not available despite getting admission into colleges.
So, the government has planned to construct mega hostels in Bengaluru, Mysuru, Kalaburgi, and Hubballi-Dharwad, with a capacity of 1,000 children in each hostel.
The government has issued orders to regularize the services of 11,141 poura karmikas. Four days ago, another order had been issued to regularize the services of 13,000 poura karmikas. So far, the government has regularized the services of 24,000 poura karmikas.
Present at the event were Social Welfare Minister Kota Srinivasa Pujari, Valmiki Development Corporation Chairman Ramachandra, Minister Murgesh Nirani, KSRTC Chairman Chandrappa, Bhovi Development Corporation Chairman Gulihatti Shekar, Safai Karmachari Corporation Chairman Venkatesh, Chief Minister's Principal Secretary N Manjunath Prasad, and Social Welfare Department Principal Secretary P Manivannan.
Later, the Chief Minister flew to Vijayanagara district and distributed compensation to farmers who had lost their lands for the UKP third phase project. Ministers Murugesh Nirani and Govind Karjol, and MLA M B Patil were also present.