Social benefits to be available at doorsteps of people

Revenue Minister R Ashoka said the state government was embarking on a novel method to ensure that social security schemes were available to the beneficiaries at their door steps.

He was speaking after laying the foundation stone for Mini Vidhana Soudha, at an estimated cost of Rs 10 crore, in Hebri.

The minister said the government would look into the Aadhaar number and income certificates to decide the eligibility of the beneficiaries. The initiative would help the poor in accessing welfare schemes without any hassles.

“The initiative will be launched as a pilot project in Udupi district. Later, the project will extend to other districts in a phased manner.”

In Udupi district, 30,000 beneficiaries have been identified. The government sets aside nearly Rs 7,000 crore for social security schemes. The initiative will not only eliminate middlemen menace but will help government save Rs 1,000 crore.

The minister stressed that Karkala and other newly declared taluks would get additional administrative and revenue sub-divisions. A single sub-division for overseeing administrative works will not facilitate in the effective decentralisation of power, he added.

“The district with seven taluks needs a minimum of two administrative sub-divisions’’, he said.

He said the government was considering a proposal on entrusting tahsildar with the task of issuing birth certificates in order to avoid complications and confusions faced by the needy.

Ashoka said the government will launch a door-to-door campaign to ensure that farmers had been benefited by the government’s loan waiver scheme.

The minister said that he would inaugurate Udupi Mini Vidhan Saudha on January 8, 2020. The construction of Nada Kacheri in Vandse is underway. He promised to fulfill Karkala MLA Sunil Kumar’s demands for separate hoblis in Hebri and Bajegoli and to set up additional centres to rectify the mistakes in Aadhaar cards, inclusion of villages into Hebri taluk among others.

Cabinet approval

Earlier, Ashok said the cabinet had approved the filling up of vacant doctor posts in PHCs and CHCs.

He was speaking after inaugurating the Primary Health Center, constructed at a cost of Rs 178 lakh, at Muniyalu.

Health services should be made available at the door step of people, especially in remote villages.

He expressed concern on the increasing pollution and adulteration in food items.

MLA Sunil Kumar said that district administration was planning to promote the Jaina monuments and Basadis in and around Varanga (lakes and ponds) as part of initiatives to promote tourism. The basic infrastructural facilities will be ensured to such monuments in coming days, he added.