CM Kumaraswamy launches 'Baḍavara Bandhu' scheme
Bengaluru: Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy on Thursday launched the 'Badavara Bandhu' scheme that lends the loan to 53,000 street vendors of the state to strengthen and grow their businesses.
To prevent the poor from being cheated from local money lenders, this scheme was announced in the budget and is now being implemented.
Chief Minister Kumaraswamy launched the scheme at a ceremony near the city's APMC Vegetable Market. The loan is being given to the small traders through a transportation vehicle.
There are about 4.50 lakh street vendors in the state, with over 80,000 in the BBMP limits. While the local bodies are issuing identity cards to the roadside vendors, 1.80 lakh vendors in various local bodies and 24,650 vendors in the BBMP limits have received the cards.
Co-operation Minister Bandeppa Kasempura has been given a loan facility only through the Co-operative Bank, which is responsible for the location of a co-operative bank and mobile banking unit exclusively for each city area, which is headed by a chairperson of the DCC Bank chair.
Deputy Chief Minister Dr. G. Parameshwara, Co-operation Minister Bandeppa Keshempura, Mayor Gangambike and others were present.
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Focus on Vijay's poll promises; TVK assured 8 gm gold for women
Chennai (PTI): As the new-entrant TVK appears likely to emerge as the single largest party and form the government, the focus has now turned into actor-politician Vijay's poll promises, including 8 gm gold for marriage, which is worth about Rs 14,000 per gram (22 carat).
Vijay's assurances in the party manifesto include Rs 2,500 monthly assistance for women below 60 years, 8 gm gold for marriage and six free cooking gas cylinders a year, per family.
By 3 PM, as per EC data, Vijay's party is leading in 105 constituencies and it falls short of a simple majority (118) in the Assembly.
The actor-turned-politician also assured a quality silk saree in addition to gold for indigent brides and interest-free loans up to Rs 5 lakh for women-run SHGs. He assured corruption-free good governance if voted to power in his maiden electoral fight.
The manifesto also laid importance on education. To prevent school dropouts, mothers or guardians of children studying in government and state-aided schools will receive Rs 15,000 annually.
Vijay promised 100 special residential schools named after iconic leader K Kamaraj, credited with revolutionising education in the state, and higher education loans of up to Rs 20 lakh. The TVK founder also assured AI Ministry, AI University and AI City.
The manifesto placed a strong emphasis on agrarian welfare, too.
The party promised a full waiver of agricultural cooperative crop loans for farmers owning less than five acres of land, while those holding more than five acres will receive a 50 per cent waiver. Additionally, the party promised a Minimum Support Price (MSP) of Rs 3,500 per quintal for paddy and Rs 4,500 per tonne for sugarcane.
Addressing youth unemployment, Vijay pledged to create five lakh new government jobs and offer as many stipendiary internships. Unemployed graduates will be provided a monthly aid of up to Rs 4,000. For government employees, the party assured consideration of the Old Pension Scheme and the regularisation of contract workers, including nurses.
On the health front, he promised a drug-free Tamil Nadu. Vijay also committed to modernising hospitals, providing free annual health checkups, and introducing a Rs 25 lakh family health insurance scheme.
The manifesto also included a Rs 3,000 monthly pension for the elderly and the differently-abled, 200 units of free power, patta (land deed) regularisation, and 100 per cent piped drinking water supply for all households.
Some of the policy intereventions promised by TVK include a legal guarantee to provide essential government services like community certificates, and land pattas, within a strictly specified timeframe.
Vijay also promised doorstep delivery of governance by implementing a system to deliver services, such as ration supplies, directly to the people. He also assured that ease of doing business will be paramount to his government and promised a strict guarantee that business licences will be issued within 21 days.
Elections to 234 Assembly seats in Tamil Nadu were held on April 23.
