Date:14/09/2006 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2006/09/14/stories/2006091413360400.htm

Karnataka - Bangalore

JD(S) for Ambedkar bhavans in districts

Special Correspondent

Bangalore: The Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe cell of the Janata Dal (Secular) has urged Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy to approve the construction of an Ambedkar bhavan in every district.

President of the SC/ST cell of the party, Doddamani Dasharath told presspersons here on Tuesday that construction of Ambedkar bhavans in the districts would go a long way in serving these sections. It would also help them to come on a common platform and air their grievances.

He said the Government should also issue directions that the Ambedkar bhavans in existence in some of the districts were not put to other uses.

For instance, the bhavan in Tumkur had been rented out to the Directorate of Pre-University Education resulting in the members of the community being deprived of the facility.

Mr. Dasharath also wanted the Chief Minister to hold regular meetings of the high-level committee for the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes and resolve their grievances.

The committee had not met for over a year now. The Government should also ensure that all the backlog vacancies were filled at the earliest.