Daijiworld Media Network - Mangalore (SP)

Mangalore, Nov 3: Chairman of Dr B R Ambedkar Development Corporation D S Veeraiah expressed his disappointment at the fact that most of the schemes the government has formulated for the benefit of the scheduled castes/scheduled tribes(SC/ST), have not been properly utilised the SC/ST community. He was addressing press conference in the city on Sunday November 2.

Veeraiah opined, that the targetted achievements under these schemes have not been met, for lack of awareness among the community about them. He pointed out, as an example, to the failure of the Land Purchase Scheme meant for Koraga families, under which only 15 Koraga famialies have benefitted through allocation of two acres of land each. As against the 26 families targetted under the said scheme for 2008-09, only one application has been received so far, he pointed out.  Under the LPS, the beneficiaries need to meet only 50% of the land cost while the other 50% is borne by the government. There is scheme to provide loans to Koraga famailies to pay their part of the land cost, he explained.

Veeraiah said, that both the Karnataka Industrial Area Developent Board and Karnataka State Industrial Investment and Development Corporation have to set aside 18% of the sites developed, for the use of SC/ST families. In every district, these families can avail of loans from the Corporation for purchasing these sites, he said.

Henceforth, the Corporaiton will concentrate on providing extensive training than just providing loans to the needy. In Dakshina Kannada district, activities like pisciculture, floriculture, driving and Yakshagana have been identified sectors for providing training. The present state government has increased flow of funds for the SC/ST benefit, he said and requested the dalits to make use of the increased allocation of funds, made for their benefit.