Daijiworld Media Network - Mangaluru (CLP)

Mangaluru, Mar 19: A meeting was organized on March 19 at the DC's office here on the state government's scheme to rehabilitate sex workers and abuse victims. Deputy commissioner A B Ibrahim chaired the meeting.

Various NGO representatives of Mangaluru explained the problems faced by the sex workers and abuse victims to avail loans from banks due to lack of proper identity cards.

The state government's scheme is to rehabilitate sex workers, abuse victims, to provide assistance on obtaining loans for establishing self-employment ventures. The state government has alloted Rs 110 lacs to rehabilitate the sex workers.

*As per the scheme the applicant has to be between the age of 18 to 45 years.
*The applicant has to be a permanent resident of Karnataka.
*They should leave the sex profession and must have the willingness to earn through a respectable job.
*All the sex workers should be registered in the local working NGO's.
*The forms can be collected from the DC office or from women and children welfare department.

The deputy commissioner A B Ibrahim has directed the bank, NGO's and women and children welfare department to issue identity cards and the bank manager's should accept them. The identity card is a valid document which enables the loan to be passed within 10 days after receiving the application.

At present, sex workers have been issued loans. The DC asked the women and children, welfare department and NGO's to educate the public and to make use of this scheme.

Various NGO representatives and members of the women and children welfare department were present at the meeting.