BANGALORE: A random survey conducted by the Law Department as part of the drafting of the food security Act has brought forth shocking information.

Nearly 50 per cent of the homeless people in the State had only one set of clothes, 33 per cent of them were over 65 years of age, at least seven per cent of them were mentally challenged and 15 per cent were physically challenged.

Further, a large number of them did not have even one square meal for long periods and they survived virtually on crumbs.

If the urban poor had scope for begging at road intersections and bus stands, the condition of the rural poor and destitutes was worse.

There were instances where the mentally challenged had to compete with street dogs to pick up leftovers from dustbins in the vicinity of hotels and marriage halls. Under the food security Act, for which an Ordinance is expected to be promulgated shortly, the Karnataka Government would come up with a humanitarian welfare scheme to provide wholesome cooked food to all the oppressed and destitutes in the State.

This scheme stated to be the first of its kind in the country is likely to be introduced on October 2.

Minister for Law H.K. Patil, who is the architect of the food security Act, on receipt of a report on the pathetic condition of destitutes, moved Chief Minister N. Dharam Singh.

Providing food security has crossed all boundaries and the Ministers of the Congress and the Janata Dal (Secular) have come together to care for the poor and the downtrodden. Minister for Finance P.G.R. Sindhia has agreed to provide funds.

Novel feature

A novel feature of the scheme prepared by the Law Minister is the enactment of a legislation by virtue of which it would be mandatory on the part of the Government to ensure that the poor, the oppressed, the homeless and such others enjoyed two square meals every day.

Sources in the State Government said the authorities to ensure that the introduction of the scheme coincided with Gandhi Jayanthi favoured an Ordinance since the legislature is not in session.

Subsequently, a Bill would be introduced in the legislature. The scheme would be similar to the Akshara Dasoha scheme under which cooked food is served to schoolchildren.

However, the poorest of the poor would also have a right to get food as per the provisions in the Act.

Expenditure

Mr. Patil told The Hindu that as per an estimate, providing cooked food for the homeless and the poor was expected to cost the exchequer around Rs. 100 crores a year.

Mr. Sindhia, who was also involved in the preparations for the introduction of the scheme, had agreed to provide funds since it was in the interest of serving the poor.

The Chief Minister had also referred to the scheme in his address on Independence Day.

The Law Department acting on the suggestions put across by its Minister had prepared a draft of the Bill and circulated it in various regions seeking the opinion of the people. This exercise was undertaken over the last few months. However, with several housing schemes and other welfare schemes in operation, this programme would be limited to providing cooked food.

It is said that the Government would finalise the agency to prepare and serve cooked food by September 25.

The agency could be the same as in the Akshara Dasoha scheme or they could even be the anganwadis or non-governmental organisations. The gram panchayats would be directed to monitor the implementation of the scheme.

As per an estimate there were around 50 destitutes in every gram panchayat.

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