From Our Special Correspondent
Daijiworld Media Network - Bengaluru
Bengaluru, Dec 11: As many as 36 organisations of various castes and sub-castes have been granted as much as 78 acres of land by the Siddaramaiah Cabinet on Monday.
The State Cabinet presided over by Karnataka Chie Minister Siddaramaiah has approved grant of lands ranging from 1 acre to 5 acres each on lease to various outfits representing 36 castes and sub-castes.
The beneficiaries include dominant Veerashaiva and Vokkaliga communities at Machohalli village in Dasanapura Hobli near Nelamangala, about 27 kms from the heart of Bengaluru city.
The private institutions, to which lands were approved include: All India Veerashaiva Mahasabha, Vokkaligara Sangha, Kurubara Sangha, Vishwakarma Sangha, Arya Idigara Sangha, Madiwala Sangha, Devadiga Sangha, Savitha Samaja, Banjara Sangha, Anglo Indian Association, Valmiki Sangha and Ganigara Sangha.
Briefing reporters on the decisions taken at the Cabinet meeting, Law and Parliamentary Affairs minister T B Jayachandra said that these organisations had submitted request for lands to undertake social works in the field of education, healthcare and community welfare.
Jayachandra strongly defended the decision on land grants and said in the past too such grants were given and denied that the decision was aimed at wooing the communities.
The lands have been granted to build schools, colleges, student hostels, hospitals and for other social service activities, he said.
Apart from this, he said the State Government would build a hospital, fire station and police station in the area.
State government had to consider the request of the organisations for grant of lands as they are meant for undertaking social welfare activities.
The State government is ready to approve more such requests in the coming days, Jayachandra said replying to a question about the grants ahead of the assembly election.
Though the decision could be dubbed as a move to woo the people belonging to different castes and sub-castes, the opposition BJP or JD(S) would not be able to make political capital out the move by criticising for fear of alienating these communities and lose their votes.
Seva Sindhu online citizen service centres
The minister said the State Government would be strengthening its online citizen service system through 'Seva Sindhu' centres.
Various online services centres such as Bengaluru One, Karnataka One, Atal Seva Centres and Bapuji Seva Centres which are presently offering these services would integrated under the Seva Sindhu, he said.
The Seva Sindhu portals would offer 346 services related to 19 departments based on the software developed by National Informatics Centre.
The services would include issuing of birth certificates, death certificates, caste certificate, income certificate, submission of passport applications etc., Jayachandra added.