<p class="title">Close to a year after the BBMP announced social welfare schemes for the urban underprivileged in its budget, none of the programmes have been implemented so far.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Raising the issue at the Palike's monthly council meeting recently, members cutting across party lines expressed dissatisfaction over the way the civic body was implementing the programmes.</p>.<p class="bodytext">In the 2017-18 BBMP budget, Rs 772 crore was earmarked for social welfare schemes. However, none of the schemes - distribution of laptops, sewing machines, bicycles and iron boxes, among others - for people belonging to the SC/ST communities were implemented. Further, tenders haven't been called till now.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Mayor R Sampath Raj issued directions to take immediate action in this regard. </p>.<p class="bodytext">Meanwhile, M Shivaraju, BBMP member from Mahalakshmi Layout, was appointed as the Palike's ruling party chief. He succeeded Mohammed Rizwan Nawab.</p>
<p class="title">Close to a year after the BBMP announced social welfare schemes for the urban underprivileged in its budget, none of the programmes have been implemented so far.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Raising the issue at the Palike's monthly council meeting recently, members cutting across party lines expressed dissatisfaction over the way the civic body was implementing the programmes.</p>.<p class="bodytext">In the 2017-18 BBMP budget, Rs 772 crore was earmarked for social welfare schemes. However, none of the schemes - distribution of laptops, sewing machines, bicycles and iron boxes, among others - for people belonging to the SC/ST communities were implemented. Further, tenders haven't been called till now.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Mayor R Sampath Raj issued directions to take immediate action in this regard. </p>.<p class="bodytext">Meanwhile, M Shivaraju, BBMP member from Mahalakshmi Layout, was appointed as the Palike's ruling party chief. He succeeded Mohammed Rizwan Nawab.</p>
