Give BPL cards to tribal families in 15 days, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah tells officials

Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Tuesday directed the Food and Civil Supplies Department to provide below poverty line (BPL) ration cards to microscopic tribal families within 15 days.

Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Tuesday directed the Food and Civil Supplies Department to provide below poverty line (BPL) ration cards to microscopic tribal families within 15 days.

The Chief Minister, who chaired a meeting with Ministers and officials of various departments, told them to provide basic facilities, such as roads, drinking water, electricity, land deeds, and graveyards, to ST families living in remote areas or near forests in districts such as Mysuru, Chamarajanagar, and Kodagu.

He directed officials of Revenue, Forest, and Social Welfare Departments to coordinate with each other and provide welfare measures to STs and those living near forests. Eligible members of STs should be recruited locally in the Health Department, the Chief Minister said.

He directed Deputy Commissioners to provide housing sites to STs, if possible near the forests, which would solve the problem of rehabilitation. The houses would be provided under the Rajiv Gandhi Housing Corporation Ltd., he said.

In Mysuru district alone, 2,963 families have not been provided housing sites and 1,222 have been given sites but they have not constructed houses. In Chamarajanagar district, 2,761 families have sites but have not constructed houses, the Chief Minister added.