Daijiworld Media Network - Udupi (HB)
Udupi, Jul 16: Mallajamma, chairperson, Dr B R Ambedkar Development Corporation, visited Udupi district for the first time on Thursday July 16. This was the 30th district visit in her tour schedule.
Speaking to media persons at DC's office, she said, "There are 1.20 crore scheduled caste people in the state. The Commission was started in 1975 by the late chief minister Devraj Urs. There are three categories - Banjara, Ambedkar, Parishista Jati - in the state. The commission has planned programmes worth Rs 451 crore for execution in 2015-16".
"The Commission helps in borewell work, construction of open well, land ownership, self-employment, direct loans, programmes for the disabled and so on. The committee was started with the objective of reaching the last person of the society. The state government had released Rs 16,000 crore for SCP and TSP programmes and a proposal has been submitted to grant Rs 2,500 crore for an action plan (out of Rs 16, 000 crore) to bring changes in the society," she said.
"Other demands are providing loans for higher education at zero percent interest and Rs 5 lac loan for forming an advocate’s office. The committee has decided to provide an Innova car instead of Indica for youth beneficiaries of taxi scheme and one car for each constituency. It will promote tourism and provide youngsters self-employment. A committee is to be set up under the DC’s leadership at the taluk level to meet beneficiaries. A training workshop will be conducted in Mangaluru and Mysore districts to improve administrative and public interaction skills among individuals," added Mallajamma.
She further said, "There is no official government building for the Commission even in Bengaluru. But soon, the foundation laying ceremony for new buildings will be held in Hassan and Chamarajnagar.
"There are 75, 429 Dalits in Udupi district, but the loan reaches only 20 percent of the Dalit community. There is a demand for owning boats from Dalits in coastal areas like Dakshina Kannada, Udupi, and Karwar," she added.
Mallajamma instructed relocation of the B R Ambedkar statue to the Udupi DC office soon. After the press conference, there was an interaction programme with members of the Dalit community.
Sundar Master spoke at the meeting and insisted that the ‘Micro Credit Project’ be renamed ‘Ambedkar Spoorthi’ and demanded release of 50 boats for annually to the district. He stressed the need to increase the subsidy amount on women’s fishing, animal husbandry, land ownership, and so on.
Manjunath Giliyar, advocate, complained that 82 percent of the district’s Dalits are landless families.
Vijaylaxmi objected to the Ambedkar auditorium becoming a spot for illegal activities with unclean surroundings and small scale shop owners encroaching on the government land. Department of social welfare is waiting for the court hearing on litigation.
Manjunathaiah, CMC commissioner assured that once court litigation is cleared, he will evict the shop owners.
Uday Kumar Tallur alleged that many Dalits are not getting the benefit of Bhoomi Yojana and it had failed in implementation.
B C Geetha, chairman, Malnad Development Corporation, Veronica Carnelio, SP Annamalai, and ADC Kumar were present.