The State Government will construct 57 Valmiki bhavans by spending Rs. 51 crore, Chief Minister Jagadish Shettar has said.
Speaking at a programme organised to mark Valmiki Jayanti, at the Banquet Hall here on Monday, Mr. Shettar said authorities had been instructed to expedite work on Valmiki bhavans. The government had built a Valmiki bhavan at Banashankari in Bangalore at a cost of Rs. 7 crore.
A large number of Valmiki community members have been residing in Bellary, Chitradurga, Haveri and Davangere districts. The government has reserved some percentage of Grade “A” posts in these districts to members belonging to Valmiki community, he said.
Holiday
The BJP government had been declaring a holiday on Valmiki Jayanti since 2010. Nearly 31,000 copies of Ramayana had been distributed to schools and colleges across the State. More than Rs. 8,000 crore had been spent for the welfare of Scheduled Castes during the last four and half years of the BJP government, Mr. Shettar claimed.
He noted the relevance of former Law Minister L.G. Havanur’s report on Backward Classes in the State and said it was referred by governments for providing reservation for Backward Classes.
The Chief Minister presented Valmiki Jayanti awards to 14 persons, including Kannada writer Baragur Ramachandrappa, for their contributions to society.
Minister for Social Welfare A Narayanaswamy, Minister for Kannada and Culture and Minor Irrigation Govind M. Karjol and Minister for Municipal Administration Balachandra Jarkiholi spoke on the relevance of Valmiki Jayanti.
