Karnataka - Hubli-Dharwad   

Package likely for khadi sector workers

Patil Puttappa

Hubli: Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee has assured a delegation of freedom fighters and khadi workers from Hubli, led by the former Rajyasabha member and journalist Patil Puttappa, that a “package” would be announced shortly to help the workers in the khadi sector.

Addressing presspersons here on Saturday, Mr. Puttappa, who is also the president of the Karnataka Development Forum, said Mr. Mukherjee had given specific assurance that the Government would come to the aid of the workers in the khadi sector.

Mr. Mukherjee said the Government would not allow the khadi industry to die. “The Finance Minister said that the Government was working towards making the khadi industry a profit-making industry,” Mr. Puttappa said. The delegation urged the Minister to extend the benefits of the Mahatma Gandhi Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme to the khadi sector.

Apart from Mr. Puttappa, the delegation comprised freedom fighter and chairman of the Karnataka Gandhi Smaraka Nidhi, Bangalore H. Srinivasayya, former MP I.G. Sanadi, forum’s secretary R.R. Hombal, Umesh Baligar and others.

The delegation met United Progressive Alliance (UPA) Chairperson Sonia Gandhi, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Union Minister of State for Railways K.H. Muniyappa, Union Minister of Information and Broadcasting Ambika Soni, Union Minister of Forests and Environment Jairam Ramesh, Union Minister of Agriculture Sharad Pawar, Union Minister of Labour and Employment Mallikarjun Kharge and Union Law Minister Veerappa Moily to urge them to take steps to meet the demands of the workers of the khadi sector and address issues concerning Karnataka, said Mr. Puttappa.

He said the delegation was able to convince the UPA chairperson on the need to strengthen the khadi sector so that it benefited the rural women. Ms. Sonia Gandhi promised the delegation that she would take up the issue with Mr. Pranab Mukherjee.

Mr. Patil Puttappa said that there would be a positive development soon with regard to the implementation of long pending Hubli-Ankola railway project.

He said that the delegation impressed upon Mr. Muniyappa that it was necessary to create Gulbarga and Mangalore divisions within the South Western Railway, which was headquartered at Hubli. According to Mr. Patil Puttappa, Mr. Muniyappa had agreed to work towards meeting the demands such as running direct day train from Hubli to Pune and Mumbai, direct rail link to Gulbarga from Hubli, and railway line from Hubli to Belgaum via Kittur. Mr. Muniyappa said he would soon convey a meeting of the Railways zones concerned to sort out the contentious issues, he said.

The other issues that the delegation raised with the Union Ministers were with regard to development of the Doordarshan Kendra at Dharwad, lack of benefits despite Kannada being accorded the status of classical language, according central agricultural university status to University of Agricultural Sciences, Dharwad.

I.G. Sanadi, R.R. Hombal and others were present at the press conference.

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