One kg rice extra! Boon for BPL families

NT Correspondent

The state government will distribute an additional one kg of rice among Below Poverty Line (BPL) families from April 1, said Governor Thawar Chand Gehlot while addressing a joint session of the state Legislature here on Monday. At present, each BPL family is getting 5 kg per member and it would be increased to 6 kg to make the quantity sufficient for them.

The governor complimented the government for the effective management of the Covid-19 pandemic by taking all precautionary measures in advance. While Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) was given Rs 300 crore, deputy commissioners of all districts were given Rs 512.37 crore for the management of the epidemic. Besides, Rs 10 crore was given to the Island Department, Rs 5 crore to the Fire Department and Rs 5 crore to the Prisons Department during the pandemic.

Apart from this, Rs 280 crore has been earmarked for distribution of Rs 1 lakh compensation among Covid victims apart from Rs 50,000 given by the Government of India. Karnataka has given 9.33 crore vaccine jabs so far and is one of the large states which has completed cent per cent vaccination of the first dose. As much as 88 per cent of people have received the second dose, the governor said.

He said due to the third wave of the pandemic, the government had set aside 55,256 HDU beds, 7,126 ICU beds and 1.95 lakh beds both in private and government hospitals for Covid patients. The oxygen manufacturing capacity had been increased to 1,200 tonnes.

Tap connection

Mr Gehlot also informed that as many as 27.14 lakh houses during 2022-23 and 17.45 lakh in 2023-24 were provided with tap water connections in a bid to provide potable water to the rural population. A total of 5571 gram panchayats of the total 5965 GPs have reserved places for solid waste management. With regard to the Delta ranking, Raichur has been adjudged best in the ‘education zone’ and Yadgir in the infrastructure zone by the Government of India. Niti Ayog had given Rs 3 crore each to two GPs. Karnataka stands 11th in milk production, 6th in egg production and 10th in meat production thus contributing 3.53% to the GDP. The Government of India has selected six districts, Tumkur, Ramanagar, Belagavi, Hassan, Uttar Kannada and Bengaluru Urban for the launch of drone/UAE based survey work.

The state witnessed unprecedented floods in 2021- 22 during which 1.38 lakh people were given temporary shelters in 496 rehabilitation centres. Compensation for loss of homes, crops, cattle and lives has been distributed among the needy without delay. The crop compensation was revised and doubled to help farmers, he added.

Earlier, a traditional red carpet welcome was accorded to the governor on his arrival at Vidhana Soudha with Speaker of the Legislative Assembly Vishveshwar Hegde Kageri, Chairman of the Legislative Council Basavaraj Horatti, Chief Minister Basavaraja Bommai and others receiving him.