With its eye on significant number of voters among backward classes ahead of next year’s elections to the Legislative Assembly, the ruling BJP carved a separate department for their welfare on Thursday.
A decision in this regard was taken at the cabinet meeting today with the government initiating steps to bring five organisations working for the betterment of backward classes’ under the new secretariat. The move was intended to benefit about 4.7 crore people belonging to the backward classes. It follows another significant decision—allocation of Rs 990 crores for the welfare of backward classes in the budget for 2012-13. The government would soon appoint a principal secretary and other staff members for the new department, law and parliamentary affairs minister S Suresh Kumar told media persons here on Thursday.
Meanwhile, the cabinet also approved an amendment to Karnataka Land Revenue Act, 1964, to facilitate regularisation of unauthorised houses constructed before January 1, 2012. So far, such houses constructed before April 14, 1998, were eligible for regularisation. Houses constructed on roads, forest land and areas meant for civic amenities, among others, would not be allowed to be considered by the government. The new rules would not be applicable to houses built within city corporation limits, CMC limits and any land acquired by local bodies, Mr Suresh Kumar added.
The state government also decided to set up a health call centre, with a facility for the sick to call a toll-free number for medical aid. Those with mobile phones would receive medical prescriptions via SMS with the staff at the call centre trained to counsel those with suicidal tendencies, and guide them to the nearest health care facility for further help, Mr Suresh Kumar added.