MYSURU: Aiming to win over people in the border district of Chamarajanagar before Assembly elections, Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai said the government will announce a special package for the development of border villages and infrastructure.
At the inauguration of the BJP’s Vijaya Sankalpa Yatra at MM Hills, he said the government is aware of the problems faced by people living on the fringes of forests, and such issues would be addressed with the allocation of funds. Reeling out a list of goodies for tribals, he said the government is committed to give land to landless tribal families, recommending necessary amendments to the Forest Act and sanction primary health centres. Responding to women, he said the government will sanction Rs 5 lakh to self-help groups in border villages if they volunteer to set up a cottage industry.
Accusing Congress of using tribals as a vote bank all these years, he said the party is the Gangotri of corruption.
On increasing the reservation for SC/STs after a prolonged, 40-year struggle, he said the government has plans to start hostels for SC/ST students. On Bedagampanas demanding reservation, he said the community’s plea would be referred to the Backward Classes Commission. He said funds would be released for relocating residents in Changadi forest in the Hanur constituency.