After one year in office, Bommai announces new schemes

Bengaluru: Seventy-five units of free power for SC/STs, self- employment scheme for youth, scholarship for children of weavers and taxi drivers, and construction of 8,000 new classrooms were among the slew of developmental and welfare programmes announced by Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai on Thursday as he completed one year in office.

In the wake of the murder of a BJP activist in Dakshina Kannada district, Bommai cancelled events to mark his government's one-year in office, and BJP's three years in office, that included 'Janotsava', a mega rally at Doddaballapur that was scheduled to be attended by BJP national president J P Nadda. "Poor SC and ST families would get 75 units of free power and the direct transfer of the benefit through the DBT system is being launched today," Bommai said.

About 25 lakh families would benefit and the State government would incur an expenditure of Rs 700 crore for the scheme, he said. The Chief Minister also announced the launch of the Babu Jagjivan Ram Self- Employment Scheme for the youth. It envisages provision of self-employment benefit for 100 youths in each Assembly constituency.

He said the State government has emphasised improving infrastructure in the educational sector. Under the 'Viveka' scheme, 8,000 new classrooms would be constructed, he said. Bommai launched a project to upgrade 100 Primary Health Centres to Community Health Centres and said 71 new PHCs would be built in backward Kalyana Karnataka region. 'Shtree Samarthya' Yojane would provide Rs 1.50 lakh as grant for each Women's Self-Help Group and provide it with latest training in skills and marketing.

For this, he said an anchor bank would be associated for the scheme. About 5 lakh would be provided financial aid to attain financial empowerment, he added. He said 'Swami Vivekananda Yuvashakthi Sanghas' would be opened in 28,000 villages of the State and the youth would be provided with financial assistance and skills training to get self-employed. About 5 lakh youth would be benefited. To save cows from slaughter, the State government has launched 'Punyakoti' cow adoption scheme with public participation.

The scheme encourages the public to bear the maintenance cost of a cow by donating Rs 11,000 per annum per cow or adopt the cows. The amount would be utilised to open more 'Gau Shalas' in the State, he said. Announcing the 'Vidya Nidhi' scholarship extended to students from weavers' community too, Bommai said it would benefit about 10,000-12,000 children. Similarly, it has been extended to children of taxi drivers as well, benefiting 50,000 taxi drivers, Bommai said, adding that the scheme was extended for children of fishermen's families.