Vijayanagara: Chief Minister DK Shivakumar on Saturday, September 5, launched the ‘Praja Seva Abhiyana’ in Kudligi, promising to take government administration to the doorstep of people and ensure that public grievances are pursued until they are resolved.
Under the campaign, ministers, MLAs and government officials will visit gram panchayats, hoblis and taluks on the first and third Saturdays of every month. The initiative is intended particularly to help weaker sections who find it difficult to travel to the Vidhana Soudha or deputy commissioner’s offices to seek redressal.
Shivakumar said more than 50,000 applications had already been received under the initiative and assured people that officials would not stop at receiving petitions but would work towards providing solutions.
The Chief Minister also announced two decisions aimed at strengthening opportunities for students and recognising teachers. The government has decided to provide 7 per cent internal reservation in education and employment for students studying in government schools, particularly benefiting talented children from poor and rural families. The implementation framework will be announced soon, he said.
He further said teachers would be addressed with the honorific ‘Tr’ before their names, similar to the ‘Dr’ prefix used by doctors.
‘Political attacks won’t stay, welfare will’
Calling people the real owners of a democracy, Shivakumar said the Congress had received 136 seats with the people’s mandate. “Do not call me the ruler of the state. I am your public servant,” he said.
He also assured continued distribution of title deeds and implementation of the Bhoomi Guarantee programme. The government would provide legal assistance to poor citizens who lacked the financial means to pursue cases, he said.
Hitting back at Opposition criticism, Shivakumar said political attacks would eventually disappear, but welfare and development works would remain.
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