From Our Special Correspondent
Daijiworld Media Network - Bengaluru
Bengaluru, Jul 3: As many as seven pourakarmikas of Mangaluru City Corporation (MCC) have been selected for a tour of Singapore, courtesy Karnataka Government.
Despite the fact that women constitute over 80 per cent of the total workforce in all urban local bodies in the State, most of the women have not shown any interest for the Singapore tour organised by the State Government!
A meagre three women pourakarmikas are touring Singapore in the first batch of 40 pourakarmikas.
While seven workers from Mangaluru City Corporation have been selected, none of the workers from the Bengaluru have been selected in the first phase.
Karnataka’s Minister for Municipal Administration Eshwar Khandre said not many women pourakarmikas were interested in the tour.
"Not a single woman worker had been identified from nearly seven urban local bodies. However, the department would motivate them to go on tour," he said.
Many pourakarmikas do not have passports and declined to embark on foreign tour.
"We are making all efforts to ensure adequate women representation in the next batch. Permanent workers in the age group of 30 and 55 years have been selected for the tour," the Minister said.
The Directorate has tied up with MSIL for the study tour arrangements including travel and accommodation.
The approximate expenditure on each worker is around Rs 75,000, including Rs 5,000 pocket money.
The Civic Workers would study the civic cleanliness and manhole cleaning system adopted there. They would be provided orientation on collection and transportation methods, segregation of waste, recycling and handling sanitation.
"The objective is to help ensure that the pourakarmikas put into practice what they learn abroad," the minister said.