Date:09/08/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/08/09/stories/2008080953750400.htm

Karnataka - Bangalore

Mobile vans to publicise welfare programmes

Staff Reporter

The vehicles will go round 1,160 villages in 29 districts

— Photo: K. Gopinathan

Creating awareness: Mobile campaign vehicles that were flagged off by Chief Minister B.S. Yeddyurappa in Bangalore on Friday.

Bangalore: Are you eager to complain about incidents of immoral trafficking or female foeticide in your village, but do not know how to go about it? Do you want your new born girl baby to be covered under the State Government’s Bhagya Lakshmi scheme?

Then worry not. Officials from the Department of Women and Child Welfare will come to your village and collect your applications to get the work done.

To create awareness about the various schemes planned for welfare of children and women, the Department of Women and Child Welfare has embarked on a month-long “publicity on wheels” campaign in the State.

Under the campaign, 29 mobile publicity vans will go round 1,160 villages in 29 districts to popularise these schemes.

Volunteers and officials from the department will receive applications from people seeking assistance under Bhagya Lakshmi, Sandhya Suraksha and Disabled Pension schemes in their respective villages.

While senior citizens can apply for benefits under the Sandhya Suraksha scheme, physically challenged persons can submit applications for pension given by the Directorate of Disabled Welfare and Senior Citizens during the campaign.

Chief Minister B.S. Yeddyurappa flagged off the vans in front of the Vidhana Soudha on Friday.

The vans that will tour the villages from August 18 to September 17 will showcase publicity material on the schemes for the benefit of people.

“Our officials will explain to the people about the various schemes and benefits available and how they should apply for the benefits. During night halts, street plays, folk songs and film shows would be organised. The vans would cover villages of Bangalore Urban district initially,” Secretary, Women and Child Welfare, Shalini Rajneesh said.

A workshop on how to stop trafficking of women and children was also organised. Minister for Women and Child Welfare P.M. Narendra Swamy inaugurated it at the Vikas Soudha.