BENGALURU: Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot said on Friday that the state government is making efforts to fulfil the goals of the constitution and lauded it for implementing Shakti, Anna Bhagya, Gruha Jyoti, Gruha Lakshmi and Yuvanidhi guarantee schemes.
Delivering his Republic Day speech after unfurling the national flag at the Field Marshal Manekshaw Parade Ground here, Gehlot said, “We should be grateful to Dr BR Ambedkar for drafting the Constitution, which is unique in many ways.”
Referring to the five guarantees, the governor said women have availed themselves of 134.34 crore free rides in government buses under the Shakti scheme, while Rs 290.12 crore has been transferred to the bank accounts of beneficiaries under the Anna Bhagya scheme. In all, 1.50 crore electricity consumers are enjoying the benefits of the Gruha Jyoti scheme. A sum of Rs 8,181 crore has been given to 1.17 crore women under the Gruha Lakshmi scheme.
The governor also referred to the government’s Yuvanidhi scheme for unemployed graduates and diploma holders.
With the failure of monsoon, the government has declared 223 taluks as drought-hit. It has taken steps to ease the crisis in the affected taluks. The government has sought funds from NDRF for drought relief works, he said.
An interim relief of up to Rs 2,000 per farmer will be given in drought-hit taluks. The process of transferring Rs 580 crore to the bank accounts of 30 lakh farmers is on, he said.
Contingents of defence, police and NCC, and schoolchildren participated in the parade. Artists and schoolchildren participated in various cultural programmes. Students of BBMP Composite College, Pillanna Garden, won the first prize for their dance-drama on Savithribai Phule. Kalaripayattu, motorcycle stunts by defence personnel and other evens enthralled the audience.
Additional Chief Secretary Rakesh Singh and BBMP Chief Commissioner Tushar Girinath unfurled the tricolour at the BBMP head office.
Vijayanagar MLA M Krishnappa and his son Priya Krishna, Govindrajanagar MLA, unfurled the national flag on the city’s tallest pole at Chandra Layout.
Nation First Citizens Soldiers and Pragathi Charitable Trust organised a “5K Republic Run, SOLDIER-A-THON” with the theme “run for the nation, run with soldiers”. Gopashetty, a 1971 war veteran, flagged off the run.
Hostage rescue demo at airport
The Airport Security Group (ASG) of the Central Industrial Security Force marked Republic Day on Friday with a demonstration of its preparedness to tackle dangerous situations like rescuing people held hostage by terrorists and defusing bombs.
The Quick Response Team drew much applause from the audience by its swift action and firepower in combating such situations. The fire unit as well as a security team from airport operator, Bangalore International Airport Limited, also took part.
The highly trained dogs (4 Belgian Malinois and one Cocker Spaniel) -- Bella, Rambo, Linus, Candy and Gracie -- were the cynosure of all eyes as they demonstrated multiple feats apart from attacking ‘terrorists’. One of them walked with a glass of water balanced on his head too.
A room intervention drill involved six members of the public held hostage in two rooms and their rescue. The Bomb Detection and Disposal Squad later checked for bombs on the rescued hostages and the surroundings.
