Info is the most powerful weapon in democracy

Karnataka Housing Board (KHB) Chairman, G T Devegowda, opined that information is the most powerful weapon which would help the people to exercise their rights.

Speaking at the inauguration of three-day Bharath Nirman Sarvajanika Mahithi Andolan organised by the Press Information Bureau in Hunsur town on Friday, he said the government formulate the schemes and it should be implemented by officials.

It was possible to take the benefits to the doorsteps of the common people if officials develop attitude that they too were the servants of general public.

Hike wages

MLC S Chikkamadu called upon the elected representatives and officials to impress the government to hike the wages being paid under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme as there are no takers for this scheme.

At present, each worker is paid `100 daily wage because of which none of them were coming forward to work under this scheme. As per the scheme, the works are given only to those who possessed job cards.

Hunsur MLA H P Manjunath, who presided, pointed out that the question before them is who should implement the government schemes.

At present the schemes were being implemented by officials keeping the elected representatives in a dark and vice versa.

Any programme would be success if everybody feels that the programmes were theirs and they should take personal interest in them.

He said many were unhappy over diverting the funds released for the MNREGS. Despite releasing funds to gram panchayats, the money was not being utilised due to technical reasons.

This calls for a serious thinking by the leaders of all political parties irrespective of their political affiliations, he added.

Deputy Commissioner Harsh Gupta said Bharath Nirman programme was an important programme as it would give information to the general public about various schemes implemented by the government. 

Director, Directorate of Field Publicity, M Nagendraswamy, deputy director, Press Information Bureau, Pallavi Chinya, Tahsildar R Loknath, in-charge assistant commissioner Priyanka Francis and chairperson, Hunsur TMC, Manjula Channabasappa also spoke.

Exhibition

As part of the campaign, a huge exhibition containing about 50 stalls has been organised at the venue in which central and state government departments, public sector undertakings like BHEL, HMT and institutions like Vocational Regional Centre for the Handicapped have put up stalls to create awareness about the various projects, programmes and schemes launched by them. 

Crowd-puller

The stall of Forest Department with models of animals is drawing huge crowd.
Apart from this various zilla panchayat departments such as Women and Child Development, Health Department, Information Department, Education Department, Fisheries, Animal Husbandry, Central Ground Water Board, Coffee Board, Aadhar, have set up stalls. Health Department is organising free health check-up camp during the campaign period. Few NGOs and Self Help Groups have also made use of the exhibition for marketing their unique products.

Timings

The exhibition is open for public from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. during the campaign period.  Public can avail of the opportunity to visit the exhibition and get them acquainted with Bharat Nirman Scheme.