Point system for allotting houses to be withdrawn in K'taka

Mysore, Aug 8 (UNI) The Karnataka Government will withdraw with immediate effect the point system for allotment of houses to beneficiaries under the Ashraya Housing Scheme, Housing Minister D T Jayakumar said today.

Addressing newspersons here, he said those who had registered their names under the scheme as on May 31, 2006, would be provided houses through gram panchayats. However, the point system for Central schemes like Indira and Ambedkar Housing schemes would continue in the State.

Mr Jayakumar said a new housing scheme for below poverty line families would be implemented on August 15 and the modalities have been worked out.

Referring to the threat from Mysore and Chamarajanagara sugarcane growers to stall the flag hoisting ceremony in the district in protest against the delay in announcing minimum support price for their produce, he said it was nothing but disrespect to the nation and law would take its own course in the event of any such incident.

The Government was considering their demands and the issue would be taken up with the Chief Minister and the Sugar Minister.

Mr Jayakumar said preparations were on in full swing for the conduct of the famous Mysore Dasara festivities this year and the Sub-Committees for various events would be constituted within 15 days. The Chief Minister had asked the officials to prepare an action plan for the conduct of the festival, he added.

On the long pending sound and light programme in the Mysore palace, he said final preparations for the script were being worked out and a meeting had been called today to discuss the issue. After the scion of the Mysore royal family Srikantadatta Narasimharaja Wadiyar objected to the earlier script prepared by the Government as it contained no reference to the erstwhile royal family, it was being altered.

Denying that the Centre had proposed to drop Mysore from the ambit of the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission, the Minister said the Centre had only sought a revised plan for the scheme and the same would be submitted after consulting officials.

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