State government first in India to earmark Rs. 1000 crore for backward classes - DVS

State government first in India to earmark Rs. 1000 crore for backward classes - DVS

Mangalore Today News Network

Kundapur, Nov 19, 2012: Speaking at the foundation stone laying ceremony of the Akhil Karnataka Konkani Kharvi Mahajan Educational and Cultural Convention Hall, the construction of which requires Rs. 5.85 crore, former CM Sadananda Gowda said that the state government earmarked Rs. 1000 crore for the development of the backward classes in its 2011 – 12 budget for the first time in the country’s history.

The former CM also inaugurated a Konkani Kharvi conference on Nov 18, Sunday.

 

Further stating that earmarking funds is not sufficient, Mr. Gowda said that the funds should also be effectively utilized for the development of the community. When the community and each individual in the community prospers financially, the nation will develop, he declared.

He also stated that communities must not form associations to compete against other communities, but to make their community stable. Organizational power must be utilized to eradicate social evils, he added.

Lauding the Konkani Kharvi community, he said that they are hard-working people who were first recognized by the present state government, which has earmarked Rs. 1 crore each for the development of the Kudubi and RSB communities and Rs. 5 crore for the Vishwa Konkani Centre.

T. V. Mohandas Pai, chairman of the Manipal Global Education Services, laid the foundation stone for the new hall and declared his desire to see the Konkani community fully developed.

Social Welfare Minister Narayana Swamy inaugurated the plan and name board of the building.

Among the dignitaries present were Kota Shrinivas Poojary, district-in-charge minister for Udupi; A. G. Kodgi, chairman of the Third Finance Commission Task Force; Basti Vaman Shenoy, president of the Vishwa Konkani Centre; Rensome Perara, president of the Trasi Gram Panchayat; and others.

K. B. Kharvi, president of the All Karnataka Konkani Kharvi Mahajan, delivered the welcome address; Vasanth Kharvi delivered the keynote address; and Malini Sathish was the MC.