50 lakh houses to be built in K'taka for poor: Kumaraswamy

Mysore, Oct 3 (UNI) The Karnataka Government will take up a huge project of constructing 50 lakh group houses in the next one year to house poor people in both rural and urban areas of the State, Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy announced today.

Speaking to newspersons after visiting many villages on the city outskirts, he said the houses would be built in villages.

The Chief Minister said 'Nemmadi' scheme to bring the Government to the doorsteps of rural people was intended to reduce corruption in Government offices. While 5,000 such centres would be opened in villages during the next one year, about 800 telecentres would be established at the Hobli headquarters by January one, 2007. These centres would deliver all Government documents to villagers like land records, birth and death certificates, ensuring that Government officials delivered services in a time-bound manner. Besides, it would provide private services to the rural people, including payment of electricity and telephone bills, and sale of insurances.

Mr Kumaraswamy said the Government would spend Rs 35 crore for this scheme and as a pilot project, such centres would be opened at Shanbhogahalli in Ramanagara. It would generate employment opportunities to about 2,000 individuals, of which ten per cent would be reserved for physically-handicapped.

He said a comprehensive plan for the overall development of Mysore city, declared as the ninth investment-friendly city in the country, was being prepared to provide basic infrastructure to the city with a vision for the next 50 years.

The Chief Minister announced that the Government had decided to illuminate Chamundi Hills in the city permanently and the Rs two crore project would begin from October five when he would lay the foundation stone. A Rs 2.5 crore worth project to provide permanent lighting facilities during night time at the famous torch light parade grounds at Bannimantap would also be taken up the same day.

On the coming Chamundeswari Assembly byelection, Mr Kumaraswamy said his party would discuss with coalition partner, BJP, about fielding a common candidate.

He received a number of grievances from the villagers and sorted out some problems on the spot by instructing the officials concerned to take necessary steps.

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