BJP aims to bring the voiceless and the deprived classes to the mainstream of society, said Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai.
“The government has included empowerment of deprived classes in its welfare schemes,” he said while addressing a gathering during a Jyothiba Phule birth anniversary programme organised by the BJP in Udupi on Monday evening.
“Many programmes have been chalked out to bring equality in the country. Crores of rupees are spent for the welfare of backward classes through various corporations. Steps have been taken to ensure that the schemes reach all. Measures have been taken to extend the Ganga Kalyana scheme to all. As much as Rs 200 crore has been earmarked for the same in the supplementary budget. Steps have been taken to construct 208 community halls for communities, while Rs 112 crore were given to various mutts from backward classes engaged in social works,” he said.
Stating that there is a shortage of hostels for students in Mangaluru, Mysuru, Bengaluru, Hubballi, Dharwad and Kalaburagi districts, he said that grants were released for the construction of hostels to accommodate 1,000 students in the name of Deen Dayal Upadhyaya.
The schemes will be extended to all the districts. Programmes have been formulated for education and economic empowerment of backward classes, said Bommai.
Referring to the celebration of Jyothiba Phule’s birth anniversary, he said BJP tries to implement the ideals of Phule through schemes for education for girls and the eradication of untouchability.
It has been decided to honour good teachers by presenting them with the Jyothiba Phule award from this year, he added.
The BJP government is working with the principle of all-pervasive and all-inclusive development, cutting across the barriers of caste and religion, he said.
No prime minister in the past had promised tap water connections to every household in the country. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has taken it as a challenge, he added.
Major programmes have been drawn to provide tap water to all households. The Central and state governments are together working to make them a success, said Bommai.