Minister for Sericulture Sogadu Shivanna said that only 8331 people are yet to be given BPL cards in Tumkur City and 35324 families have already got the cards.

Addressing the mediapersons here on Monday,  he said that 68% beneficiaries have been given the BPL cards and soon the cards will be distributed to the rest also.

Drainage

Observing that many areas in the City do not yet have the underground drainage system, he said, Rs 82 lakh worth drainage works will be taken up soon.

Earlier the project worth Rs 48 lakh, for construction of drainage in different parts of the City, was approved.   For the purchase of necessary equipment for implementing Nirmala Nagara Yojane, Rs 67 lakh was spent, said the Minister.

Stri Shakti Sangha is entrusted with the responsibility of garbage disposal management in wards 15, 25, 26, 27, 30 and 34.

The same plan is mooted for other wards also, Shivanna added. Rs 2.9 crore will be spent of providing high mast lights  at 31 circles in the City.

Drainage repair works to enable free flow of rain water will be taken up soon and Rs 6.85 crore has been released for the works to prevent rain water damaging the houses in the low lying areas.

These various works have been taken up to ensure that the City is not deprived of basic facilities, said Shivanna.

He also took the opposition party to task for its comment on lack of developmental works in  Tumkur,   saying, “Why they could not get a special package sanctioned for Tumkur during their ten year rule in the past?” He criticised the Opposition, terming underdeveloped Tumkur as outcome of its sin.

Books for kids

The minister also assured of releasing grants from his pocket to buy and distribute book - Learn and Teach English, to around 5,000 children studying in seventh standard.

He said, Rs Five lakh worth ‘Bharadwaj English Dictionary’ will also be soon purchased and distributed to the children free of cost soon, to help them in learning English.