Bangalore: Local Candidates to be Recruited in All Naxal-Infested Areas

From Our Special Correspondent
Daijiworld Media Network - Bangalore

Bangalore, Jan 13: Fear of reprisals against Government officials at different levels has forced the Karnataka Government to devise a new strategy of recruiting local candidates on contract basis in the three naxal-infested districts of Udupi, Chikmagalur and Tumkur in view of the declining number of officials on account of threat to their lives from the naxalites.

The State Cabinet, which reviewed the situation in the three naxal-infested districts, has decided that all lower level postings of officials of different categories would be done by hiring eligible local candidates on a contract basis, the Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister S Suresh Kumar said.

Briefing reporters after the State Cabinet meeting, the minister said eligible local candidates would be absorbed in nine taluks – Karkala, Kundapura, Sringeri, Mudigere, Koppa, Hosanagara, Theerthahalli, Belthangady and Pavagada.

The postings will be done for primary school teachers, nurses, ANMs, Accredited Social Health Activists (ASHA), agricultural assistants, anganwadi centre workers and assistants, mechanics for repairing borewell pumps and forest guards.

A committee headed by Deputy Commissioners of each of the district would recruit eligible candidates for various postings for one year contract.

Reluctance on the part of the government servants to go to these nine taluks led to their sluggish growth. Implementation of various welfare schemes have also suffered on account of existing vacancies in the lower level of administration, Kumar said.

Delivery of heath services in remote primary health centres (PHCs) have been suffering as doctors refused to go to these PHCs or seek transfers in urban localities. Depending on the number of vacancies, the Deputy Commissioners would decide number of candidates to be recruited, the minister said.

Slum Development Policy Cleared

The State Cabinet approved the slum development policy seeking to give land title deeds to slum dwellers, remove hurdles in constructing houses in such areas and provide minimum infrastructure in slums.

The policy envisages development of 2,722 slums in the State. About 40 lakh people reside in slums formed in government and private land in the State. Nearly 22 per cent of urban population resides in slums in the State.

The Cabinet approved the policy which envisages providing basic infrastructure such as drinking water, sanitation, electricity and road connectivity for slum dwellers. There are 2251 declared and 471 undeclared slums in the State.

In Bangalore alone, there were 597 slums with a population of 15 lakh people. The major aim of the policy is to make the State slum-free in the next five to eight years.

The Government would strive to achieve the goal with the involvement of urban local bodies, private land lords and implementation of various state and central schemes, he said.

Suggestions of the Union Ministry of Housing and Poverty Alleviation have been incorporated in the policy, which is also aimed at preventing creation of new slums, Kumar said.

Urs Community to be Included in BC 2-A

The State Cabinet also decided to include the Urs community in the Backward Classes list ‘2-A’ category following recommendation by former State Backward Classes Commission chairman by C S Dwarakanath.

The commission had submitted its report to the State Government in 2010 but a decision was kept pending.

The Urs community was included in the backward classes list in 1977 but later it was removed. Now, community member can avail the reservation facility in jobs and education. There were about 40,000 people belonging to this community in the State, the minister said.

Babu Jagajivan Ram Bhavan at a Rs 12 cr Cost

In another decision, the State Cabinet accorded administrative approval for construction of a Babu Jagjivan Ram Bhavan at the Beggars Colony on Magadi Road in the city.

It would be developed on two acres with an estimated cost of Rs. 12 crore as against the previous Government decision to construct the Babu Jagjivan Ram Bhavan in 2007 and a sum of Rs 5 crore had been set apart for the purpose in the 2009-10 budget.

The Public Works Department (PWD) would construct the Bhavan, which included two auditoriums, a museum, and a library.