From Our Special Correspondent
Daijiworld Media Network - Bangalore

Bangalore, Aug 18: Karnataka Government is keen to repatriate the beggars housed in the Beggars’ Rehabilitatkion Centre on Magadi Road in the City to their native states as majority of the inmates were found to be from other States, Social Welfare Minister A Narayanaswamy has disclosed.

The minister, who spoke to reporters, said he was keen to hold talks with his counterparts in other states, especially the neighbouring states, in a bid to convince them to take back the beggars taking shelter in the Beggar Rehabilitation Centre in Bangalore so that the inmates were shifted to their respective states.

It is unfortunate that nearly 80 per cent out of the total 428 inmates at the centre belonged belonged to other states, he said pointing out that officials have not been able to communicate with beggars of other states such as Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh and Kerala due to language problem.

It was also difficult to establish identity of inmates from other states, the minister said.

With the death of over a hundred of inmates at the Rehabilitation Centre under mysterious circumstances came to light in August last year, he said the government had ordered a Criminal Investigation Department (CID) probe into deaths of inmates and the investigation was still under progress.

He said doctors and para-medical staff has been deployed soon to provide medical aid to inmates. Inmates were being served quality food, and provided pairs of clothes, hot water and other facilities, besides giving priority to cleanliness.

The living conditions of inmates has improved considerably as compared to the situation that prevailed last year prior to the mysterious deaths, he said.

Stating that many districts have not been spending allotted money under various schemes of the Department, he said nodal officers would be appointed in all districts to monitor expenditure incurred for welfare of socially disadvantaged people.

Several districts have not been spending even 50 per cent of the allotted Rs. 250 crore a year, he said.

To prevent diversion of food meant for hostels run by the Social Welfare Department, the minister blamed the zilla panchayats for lack of accountability.

The government proposed to divest the zilla panchayats of the responsibility of looking after the rehabilitation of beggars, he said.