Pics: Spoorthi Ullal
Daijiworld Media Network- Mangaluru (ANK)
Mangaluru, Jan 26: The 68th Republic Day was celebrated at Nehru Maidan here on Thursday January 26 with patriotic fervour.
District in-charge minister Ramanath Rai unfurled the National Flag and received the guard of honour.
In his address, Ramanath Rai said, "Today is an auspicious day for all Indians, as the Constitution was formed on this day. The pillars of democracy - legislature, executive and judiciary - were brought under the Constitution and basic rights were provided to the citizens of India. Contributions made by eminent personalities need to be remembered on this day.
"The state government has implemented several schemes and prioritized the uplifting of the deprived and enforced schemes like Anna Bhagya, Ksheera Bhagya and Manaswini. The time limit has been extended to February 21 for submitting applications under 94c. The government has also sanctioned Rs 10 crore for the development of Lady Goshen hospital.
"People can apply for new APL ration card through online, and till date a total of 1,375 applications have been recieved out of which 874 applicants have been disbursed," he said.
"Government has also sanctioned 31 hostels under the district's social welfare department, minority welfare and backward classes. Land has been reserved and handed over to the respective departments to construct the hostels.
"The government has also sanctioned Rs 33 lac to provide nutritious food for Koraga and Malekudiya community. As many as 37 villages have been identified under the Gram Vikas Scheme and the government has sanctioned Rs 28.50 crore for the same, out of which Rs 26 crore has been released," he said.
"We recently inaugurated Ambedkar Bhavan at district and taluk levels. In Mangaluru, it is located at Urwa Store on an area of 1.61 acres," he added.
He also announced that the government would soon undertake the construction of Gandhi Bhavan.
"A total of six road development works have been undertaken under NABARD, out of which five are already in progress. In 2016-2017, 1,895 Sthree Shakti groups were each given Rs 5,000, totalling Rs 94.75 lac.
"Under MCC Nagarothana Yojana, Rs 100 crore was released in the first phase, Rs 50 crore in the second phase and Rs 32 crore in the third phase, totalling Rs 177.8 crore. As many as 415 road and drainage works have been undertaken.
"We have also introduced a system to keep track of student attendance in order to curb dropouts," Rai said.
Superintendent of Wenlock Hospital Rajeshwari Devi and Girish Gowda were felicitated on the occasion.
ACP Uday Nayak and DCP Valentine D'Souza were honoured for bagging the President's Police Medal for Meritorius Service.
Cultural programmes by students and march-past added colour to the ceremony.
MLA J R Lobo, Mohiuddin Bava, MP Nalin Kumar Kateel, deputy commissioner Dr K G Jagadeesha, additonal deputy commissioner Kumar, IGP Harishekaran, superintendent of police Bhushan Gulabrao, police commissioner M Chandra Sekhar, Borase and others were present.