Union government to build ESI hospital in Udupi soon, says Shobha Karandlaje

Union Minister of State for Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare Shobha Karandlaje, on Sunday, said that the government has identified land at Varamballi in Udupi to build a hospital of the Employees State Insurance Corporation (ESIC) and the foundation stone for its construction will be laid soon.

Union Minister of State for Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare Shobha Karandlaje, on Sunday, said that the government has identified land at Varamballi in Udupi to build a hospital of the Employees State Insurance Corporation (ESIC) and the foundation stone for its construction will be laid soon.

She was speaking at a function organised by the government to distribute physical aids and assisted living devices to senior citizens under Rashtriya Vayoshri Yojana in Udupi. In all, 495 senior citizens were distributed with 2,496 devices costing ₹48.5 lakh on the occasion.

Ms. Karandlaje, who is the Member of Parliament of Udupi-Chikkamagaluru constituency, said that the gram panchayats in Udupi district should conduct a survey to identify differently-abled persons and senior citizens and maintain their data bank. Later, the Department for the Welfare of Differently Abled and Senior Citizens should send a proposal to the Union government listing out the number of persons who required physical aids and assisted living devices. With this, all such persons who required the devices could be reached out as the government will distribute them the devices freely through the Artificial Limbs Manufacturing Corporation of India (ALIMCO), a Union government undertaking.

Now the absence of a data bank has resulted in the same persons applying and getting the devices again and again.

Karnataka Minister for Women and Child Development, Differently Abled and Senior Citizens Welfare Lakshmi R. Hebbalkar, who is Udupi district in-charge, said that officials should ensure that the differently abled and senior citizens received the benefits of the Union and State governments. Officials should discharge their duties properly and make sure that the beneficiaries received the benefits on-time.

Ms. Hebbalkar said that 6,800 differently abled persons in Karnataka now required vehicles. Of them, 3,000 persons will be allotted vehicles at an estimated cost of ₹30 crore in this financial year. The remaining persons will be distributed with the vehicles in the next financial year. Honest efforts will be made to address the grievances of differently abled, she said.

The Minister said that the State government will conduct ‘Janata Darshan’ on 25th of every month in all districts to address the grievances of people.