Bangalore: Govt to implement two key reports for benefit of minorities

Bangalore, Jun 3: The Congress government in Karnataka today said recommendations of two key reports would be implemented for the benefit of minorities, especially Muslims.

The recommendations made in the Justice Ranganath Mishra Commission and Justice Sachar Committee report for the development and uplift of religious minorities, especially Muslim minorities who continue to be severely disadvantaged, will be implemented in letter and spirit.

"This will include promoting and monitoring their access to schools, higher education and health services, encouraging their participation in MGNREGS, and facilitating their access to bank credit", Governor H R Bhardwaj said in his customary address to joint session of the legisalture.

Meanwhile, he expressed the government's commitment to provide safe drinking water to rural areas.

There are 5,875 villages where water is affected by fluoride, arsenic and nitrate besides other chemical contaminations.

"The model 'Pure Drinking Water Unit', as installed in Gadag (a district in the State), will be provided in all problematic villages. 1000 such units will be commissioned by 1st January, 2014", he said.

An Agriculture Price Commission would be set up to ensure that farmers get a remunerative price for their produce, he said. "The expertise of international institutions will be harnessed to create an extension service in the private sector which will provide a good entrepreneurial opening for agriculture graduates, besides enhancing farm productivity".

In order to promote exports and value addition, the government proposes to link horticulture farmers to agri-business in the country and abroad by setting up high-tech clusters. "The entire set-up of horticulture marketing would be revamped to make it more responsive to the needs of the farmer", Bhardwaj added.