Alms-seekers to grow their own food on their 'Krishi Bhoomi'

BDA had commercial plans for Beggars Colony land earlier

The Beggars’ Colony land, which escaped the jaws of a proposed infrastructure project, will be used for agriculture and horticulture purposes, thanks to a government initiative and BDA’s plan to give the inmates an opportunity to do some productive work.

Announcing this at an inspection of the Central Welfare Committee (CWC) works on Monday, Chief Minister D V Sadananda Gowda said the 123 acres of land will be transformed into ‘Krishi Bhoomi’ to enable inmates grow their own food.

R N Rajanayak, secretary, CWC, said a team of officials from BDA’s forest wing including environmentalist A N Yellappa Reddy had visited the colony and formulated a plan.

As per the plan, a vegetable garden, fruit orchard growing guava, papaya and
pomegranate, and a mini forest with indigenous plants and tree saplings will be developed.

There are also plans to plant sandalwood saplings and to create an Ashoka vana. There is a lake on 15 acres of land in the property and the BDA plans to rejuvenate the lake and encourage pisciculture.

The BDA has already prepared a draft plan wherein the cost will be borne by the Authority and this needs to be approved by the commissioner.

Aadhaar cards

Karnataka became the first state in the country to issue Aadhaar cards to beggars on Monday.

Sadananda Gowda also issued job cards to 25 inmates, who have been offered work in a private poultry farm.

According to a recent survey conducted by the CWC, there are over 7,600 beggars in the City. As many as 1,700 beggars, including 1,320 men and 380 women, are housed in several CWCs across the State.

There are 550 inmates housed at the Beggars’ Colony in Bangalore, of which nearly 50 per cent have some form of mental illness.

Apart from involving themselves in growing maize and other vegetables, the inmates have been taught to make soaps, detergents, door mats etc.

A worker guarding the inmates told Deccan Herald that although the physical condition of the inmates had improved with better facilities, many of them were still not mentally stable.