500 excise licences to SC/ STs: Panel chief

The Scheduled Castes/Tribes Welfare Committee of the legislature has recommended to the government to issue 1,500 excise licenses to members of SC/ST communities to open liquor shops and bars.

Addressing a press conference following the first meeting of the panel in Vidhana Soudha on Monday, committee chairman and Congress MLA P M Narendraswamy said that in 1991, a total of 3,965 licences were issued to liquor shops and bars in the State.

Going by the population of SC/STs then, about 1,000 licenses should have been issued. According to their population now, 1,500 licences should be issued, he said.

Excise Minister Satish Jarkiholi has assured the committee that he would consider the recommendation of the panel, Narendraswamy said.

The committee has raised objections regarding unfilled vacancies meant for SC/STs by various departments.

The government should have filled 2,411 backlog vacancies reserved for SCs and 991 posts meant for STs. But no effort has been made in many years to fill up these posts. Another 2,250 posts have been included now and in all there are 5,653 backlog vacancies, the MLA said.

He blamed the department heads for not taking any initiative, even though they need to get permission from the Finance department to fill up the backlog vacancies.
Narendraswamy said that government-aided educational institutions have to fill up 1,037 posts. The government must stop sanctioning grants to these institutions until they do, he said.

He also directed Finance department principal secretary I S N Prasad, who was present at the meeting, not to sanction grants.

The MLA said that aided colleges falling under the technical education department have 204 backlog vacancies, 206 in water resources department, 134 in Public Works Department, 76 in Karnataka University, Dharwad, 71 in BBMP, 25 in KPTCL, 21 in Mangalore University among others.