BENGALURU: Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, who lost his son Rakesh recently due to pancreas-related ailment, is keen to launch a liver transplant scheme for the poor in Rakesh’s name.
He wants to make treatment for liver and pancreas-related ailments affordable for the poor as part of the plans to commemorate Rakesh. “If it is not possible to launch a government programme in Rakesh’s name, we will implement it by forming a foundation in Rakesh’s name. The objective is to provide even liver transplant free of cost for the poor,” Siddaramaiah said in his address at a function to celebrate the birth anniversary of Sangolli Rayanna here on Monday.
The assurance from the Chief Minister came in response to an appeal from former MLA and Kannada Chaluvali leader Vatal Nagaraj.
Sangolli’s name for Metro Station Lauding the bravery and sacrifice of Sangolli Rayanna who fought against the British colonial rule, Siddaramaiah announced that one of the Metro stations in the city would be named after him. The City Railway station has already been named after Rayanna. The process for naming a Metro station after this great son of Karnataka would be initiated soon, Siddaramaiah said.
Responding to the demand for freeing the farmers arrested during the recent Mahadayi agitation, he said 187 farmers have already been released as the state government did not oppose their bail pleas. However, the process of release of farmers against whom chargesheets have already been filed, would take a little more time as necessary legal processes would have to be adhered to, he said.