If Jaya can Give Laptops, Karnataka too Will!
From Our Special Correspondent
Daijiworld Media Network - Bangalore
Bangalore, Jun 8: If the newly installed Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Jayalalithaa is drawing up plans to distribute free laptops to Class XI and XII students as part of AIADMK’s poll promise, Karnataka’s B S Yeddyurappa regime is also planning a laptop distribution drive, with a slight difference!
Unlike in Tamil Nadu, laptops in Karnataka are proposed to be given to Staff of Nemamdi Kendras in the State to ensure timely delivery of services to the people visiting centres for caste, income, and land record and the certificates.
While Jayalalithaa’s freebie of laptops is expected to benefit about 14 lakh students of Tamil Nadu at an estimated cost of Rs 350 crore, Yeddyurappa regime’s plan to give laptops to the Nemmadi Kendra staff would be like a drop or rather a bucket in the ocean as there are barely 750 such centres in Karnataka.
Announcing the BJP Government’s plans to distribute laptops to the Nemmadi Kendra staff, the Revenue Minister G Karunakara Reddy said the frequent power cuts and outdated computers was hampering the timely issue of certificates to all people visiting centres during the working hours, which forced the Government to chalk out alternative plans.
The State’s E-governance Department has been asked to set aside the amount for buying laptops for staff of the Nemmadi Kendras functioning in all hobli headquarters, Reddy said.
Unlike desktop computers, laptops have 7-8 hours of power back up and it would help the staff to issue certificates within few minutes, he said.
The Minister said the Department has taken steps to renovate premises of Nemmadi Kendras by giving paint and cleaning the surroundings. To ensure 24x7 power supply to Kendras, solar panels are proposed to be installed on buildings, he said.
The system of online registration of properties would be extended to entire State after upgradation of the software, he said pointing out that online registration would reduce corruption and the role of middlemen in property deals.
As of now, the online registration has been introduced in eight centres of Bangalore, he said.
As many as 228 deputy tahsildars have been promoted as tahsildars across the State to clear pending files and dispose pending cases, the Minister said explaining that majestrial powers have been given to the Grade I tahsildar at the taluk level.
Admitting that the State was facing an acute shortage of surveyors, he said a decision has been taken to fill 1600 vacancies. Applications would be invited from candidates next month.
A written test would be conducted in September and candidates would be absorbed in the department in October, he added.