NOVEL FUNCTION: Chief Minister N. Dharam Singh and KPCC President M. Mallikarjun Kharge at the Gandhi Jayanthi celebrations in Bangalore on Sunday. — Photo: Sampath Kumar G.P.

BANGALORE: For people of Swagath slum in Tilaknagar here, Gandhi Jayanthi was a special occasion.

On Sunday, they got "hakku patras" (title deeds) for the houses allotted to them by the Karnataka State Slum Clearance Board. Chief Minister N. Dharam Singh, Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) President M. Mallikarjun Kharge and a host of other dignitaries visited the slum to inaugurate 152 houses. Each house has been built at a cost of Rs. 60,000 of which Rs. 30,000 is subsidy.

Speaking at a function organised by the KPCC, Bangalore City Congress Committee of Jayanagar Assembly constituency and the board to distribute "hakku patras," the Chief Minister said the KPCC thought it best to celebrate Gandhi Jayanthi amidst people of the slum as it "will be a befitting tribute to Mahatma Gandhi."

Stating that the State Government's priority is to uplift weaker sections of society, Mr. Dharam Singh said that he will soon invite All India Congress Committee (AICC) President Sonia Gandhi to distribute "hakku patras" and "swadheena patras" (occupancy certificates) to beneficiaries of various housing schemes in the city. "We will organise a massive convention and Ms. Sonia Gandhi will distribute title deeds to beneficiaries. I have discussed this with the KPCC President and we are preparing for it," he said.

The Chief Minister said the AICC General Secretary in-charge of Karnataka Affairs A.K. Antony had expressed "satisfaction" over the Government's performance during his recent visit to Bangalore.

"Mr. Antony was happy about setting up of a circuit Bench of the Karnataka High Court in Dharwad. Mr. Antony said he was unable to set up a similar Bench in Kerala when he was the Chief Minister of that State. He praised us for this achievement," Mr. Dharam Singh said.

He said the Government had held discussions with representatives from information technology industries on infrastructure development. "The Bangalore Development Authority (BDA) will spend Rs. 419 crores on infrastructure development projects in the coming days. Fifteen more flyovers have been planned for the city, and I have written to the Prime Minister seeking an additional grant of Rs. 516 crores for the purpose," he said.

The Chief Minister said the Government aims at developing slums all over the State. "I have directed the board officials to visit slums and initiate measures to develop them. We are committed to providing basic amenities to people living in slums," he added.

Mr. Kharge and Primary and Secondary Education Minister Ramalinga Reddy spoke. Housing Minister Anjana Murthy; MLA Roshan Baig: the former ministers Rani Satish and A.M. Hindasgeri; Mayor R. Narayanaswamy, and corporators M. Udayshankar, N. Nagaraj, B.T. Sreenivas Murthy and P.R. Ramesh were present.

Meanwhile, members of the KPCC Legal Cell celebrated Gandhi Jayanthi by distributing saris to 500 poor women here.

Mr. Kharge distributed saris and sweets at a function organised by the cell in Shivajinagar. Krishnappa, MLC, and S.S. Prakasam, convenor of the legal cell, were present.

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