JOIN US The Social Welfare Department, which is often considered a mass of mere corruption and irregularities, will be completely transformed, promised A Narayanaswamy, Social Welfare Minister.
Narayanaswamy, who is also the District In-charge Minister, added that such transformation, however, would require time.
The Minister addressed a programme on the APMC market premises in town on Wednesday, to inaugurate the implementation of the bio-metric system in the supply of food articles to hostels managed by the government.
Picture of department
“The general impression the Department has on the citizens is quite incorrect. Many people will naturally also show cynicism on how corruption and irregularities that have seeped into the system over decades can be cleared up in barely a couple of days or weeks.
In contrast, there are many who assume the Department is in a state of inertia and cannot be changed or improved ever,” rued the Minister, saying there would be genuine, whole-hearted efforts put in to prove such impressions false.
The first step in such a revolutionary move is the implementation of the bio-metric system in hostels, said Narayanaswamy.
“The system will ensure only eligible students, and not those staying in the hostels without permission, will be provided food and other facilities. This will also be a means to rein in the corruption in the activities of the hostels,” he assured.
‘Everybody’s work’
The success of the system depends on the officers and staff members of the Department and the staff members at the hostels, rather than on the rigidity of the rules and regulations, said Narayanaswamy. The staff and officers should only consider the appropriate implementation of the rules along with humanitarian values their duty, he added.
Zilla Panchayat president C R Narasimhamurthy, who spoke on the occasion, welcomed the government’s implementation of the bio-metric system in the hostel. The residents would benefit greatly as the eligible students should not be deprived of their rights to food and other facilities, he said.
CCTV cameras
Legislator K P Bachegowda said installation of CCTV cameras at the entrance, kitchens and the rooms at every hostel was a necessity to ensure the proper functioning of the hostels.
“Many hostels have become locales for illegal activities. Very often, the hostel residents are developing contacts with even anti-social elements. The movements of the residents, therefore, need to be monitored,” he said, justifying his demand.
Backward Classes Welfare Department principal secretary Mohammad Sanaullah, Commissioner R Shantharaj, Social Welfare Department Commissioner Navinraj Singh, Scheduled Caste Welfare Department director G S Shivaswamy, Karnataka Residential Education Societies Association executive director N Shantappa, legislator K P Bachegowda, Zilla Panchayat vice-president N Ashwatthappa, chief executive officer B S Shekharappa, Deputy Commissioner Dr N Manjula, District Superintendent of Police N Shivaprasad were present on the occasion.