Hold health camps for pourakarmikas, says Padmavathi

Mayor G Padmavathi on Monday directed BBMP officials to conduct health checkup camps every three months for pourakarmikas.

Speaking after inaugurating the midday meal scheme in 44 wards of south zone, the mayor said, “The photographs of the health camp should be sent to me every three months. The camps should be held across all wards. Toilets should be set up at all Palike mustering centres. A meeting will be held soon by joint commissioners of all zones to discuss health camps and other measures that need to be taken for the betterment of pourakarmikas.”

The mayor launched the scheme by distributing midday meals to over 6,845 pourakarmikas in 44 wards. She said that the government had increased the salaríes of pourakarmikas by Rs 5,100 and monetary benefits from schemes such as PF and ESI would be directly transferred into the bank accounts of pourakarmikas.

“The toilets will be built at mustering centres under the Mayor’s fund. Workers will also get pension. Now that all these facilities are being provided to the pourakarmikas, they should work efficiently.”

BBMP officials said that the midday meals that was inaugurated by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah in November last year would be extended in phases to the remaining wards.  
R V Devaraj, chairman, Karnataka Slum Clearance Board, said the state government was planning to build 400 flats to rehabilitate slum-dwellers. He said pourakarmikas too will be considered and given houses under the government scheme. 

The midday meals scheme will benefit more than 32,000 pourakarmikas (municipal workers) in Bengaluru. The scheme has been envisaged to help both contract and permanent pourakarmikas, he said.