Karnataka govt to roll out Rs 1000 crore rehabilitation project for 7,483 manual scavengers: Report
Bengaluru: The Karnataka Social Welfare Department is likely to roll out a Rs 1,000-crore one-time rehabilitation project aimed at providing housing and dignified livelihoods to all 7,483 identified manual scavengers in the state, marking one of the largest state-led initiatives to eradicate the practice, according to a report by The New Indian Express.
Social Welfare Minister H.C. Mahadevappa mentioned that the state government is committed to permanently rehabilitating all identified manual scavengers by offering them housing, sustainable livelihoods, and access to social protection schemes.
“The project is in its early stages of formulation, and we are holding consultations to understand the best way forward,” TNIE quoted the minister as saying. He reiterated that the goal is to ensure manual scavengers can lead a dignified life and emphasised that the government aims to provide housing for all of them simultaneously, rather than implementing the project in phases where some may have to wait.
The government wants to complete the project by November 26, 2026, to mark Constitution Day, TNIE report quoted its sources as saying.
A senior official stated that the department has initiated discussions with the Housing Department and is considering three plans for rehabilitation. The first plan involves constructing houses for families of manual scavengers who already own plots. The second plan includes those without land, with the department planning a group housing scheme in rural areas where land will be identified to build homes for groups of four to five families. The third plan focuses on group housing in urban areas, with the department searching for land near Metro stations or other accessible locations.
All three options are under consideration, and a survey will be conducted to assess the number of families and estimate the costs, as the construction expenses will vary depending on the model.
Of the 7,483 identified manual scavengers, 1,625 are within the BBMP limits, followed by 1,381 in Mysuru and 1,224 in Kolar. In contrast, Vijayapura and Bagalkot have no recorded manual scavengers.
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Centre spent Rs 76.13 lakh on print media ads for RSS centenary, reveals RTI
New Delhi: The Union Ministry of Culture allegedly spent Rs 76.13 lakh on print advertisements marking the 100-year celebrations of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), according to a Right to Information (RTI) reply.
The information was sought by RTI activist Ajay Basudev Bose, who filed an application seeking details on expenditure incurred by the ministry for advertisements commemorating the RSS centenary.
Bose shared a picture of the reply from the ministry on his official ‘X’ handle.
“It is informed that an amount of Rs 76,13,129 has been spent on advertisement given in various print media by the Ministry of Culture on the occasion of the completion of 100 years of RSS,” the government’s reply stated.
RTI reply shows Min of Culture Govt of India spent a Whopping Rs 76L,13K,129 on Advertisement in Print Media on occasion of 100 yrs of #RSS
— AJAY Basudev Bose (@AjayBos93388306) April 16, 2026
When Everyone knows RSS is Not Registered & Does not Pay any Tax is it justified to spend Tax Payers Money on such Private event??@RSSorg… pic.twitter.com/dW4IUtdNCg
Bose questioned the expenditure in the post X, “when Everyone knows RSS is Not Registered & Does not Pay any Tax is it justified to spend Tax Payers Money on such Private event??”
Reacting to the development, Karnataka’s IT-BT and Panchayat Raj Minister Priyank Kharge also criticised the spending.
In a post on X, he asked why public money was being used for what he described as a “private ideological project.”
"Modi Sarkar spent Rs 76,13,129 of public money on newspaper advertisements to celebrate 100 years of the RSS. Why is Government spending taxpayers money on an unregistered, non-tax-paying organisation to celebrate their centenary?," he added.
Why is public money being used to serve a private ideological project?
— Priyank Kharge / ಪ್ರಿಯಾಂಕ್ ಖರ್ಗೆ (@PriyankKharge) April 16, 2026
Modi Sarkar spent ₹76,13,129 of public money on newspaper advertisements to celebrate 100 years of the RSS.
Why is Government spending taxpayers money on an unregistered, non-tax-paying organisation to… pic.twitter.com/EoZ6Pim3IM
According to reports, the RSS describes itself as a volunteer-based organisation and has stated that it functions as a body of individuals rather than a registered entity.
Founded by Keshav Baliram Hedgewar in 1925, the organisation is marking its centenary year beginning from Vijaydashami in 2025, with the milestone observed on October 2.
