The Hindu : Karnataka News : Government likely to raise income ceiling for Other Backward Classes

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Thursday, Apr 28, 2011
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Karnataka

Karnataka

Government likely to raise income ceiling for Other Backward Classes

Special Correspondent

— Photo: Sampath Kumar G.P.

Colourful presence:Members of the Banjara community at the convention in Bangalore on Wednesday.

BANGALORE: Chief Minister B.S. Yeddyurappa assured backward classes that he would raise the ceiling on annual income levels of Other Backward Classes in order to help them utilise reservation benefits.

Inaugurating the State-level convention of the Karnataka Pradesh Banjara (Lambani) Seva Sangha on Wednesday, Mr. Yeddyurappa admitted that the ceiling on annual income was fixed a long time ago and had lost its relevance, and steps would be taken to raise the ceiling to facilitate backward classes to avail of reservation in education and employment. However, he regretted that funds being released for uplift of backward classes were not being utilised properly.

Despite creating facilities, including opening of schools in tandas (settlements), the Banjara community had failed in avail the facility. As education was the only means for the community to get empowered, leaders and religious heads must take initiative in educating their community, he said.

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)) had given important positions to six leaders of the community to work for empowering their constituency. It was their duty to make use of their positions effectively. “I don't know what is preventing the community from exploiting schemes such as the Bhagyalakshmi and Suvarna Bhoomi to become self-sufficient,” he said.

He also held the leaders of the community responsible for not completing the work on the new building for which the foundation stone was laid in November 2007. “It is natural for the bureaucrats to create hurdles, but that should not deter you from meeting me and seeking help in completing the work,” he said.

Assuring the release of Rs. 15 crore for completing the work, he asked the community leaders to complete the work and inaugurate the building by next year. On the demand for making tandas into revenue villages, he said over 300 tandas have already been declared as revenue tanda and in two years, all of them would get similar status.

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