Karnataka to build 5 lakh houses for poor
Bengaluru, June 15: Katnataka's ruling JD-S-Congress has set a target of constructing 5 lakh houses across the state, including 2 lakh in Bengaluru, for poor families over the next five years, said an official on Friday.
"The decision to build 5 lakh houses for the BPL (before poverty line) families was taken on Thursday at a meeting Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy held with top officials of the departments of Finance, Revenue and Urban and Rural Development," said the official of the CM's office.
To be built in phases over the next five years with financial aid from the Central government, Kumaraswamy has directed the respective departments to identify the lands required in cities, towns and villages across the state for the houses.
"As the Chief Minister also holds the Finance portfolio, he will spell out the fund allocation for the houses to be built in this fiscal in the budget he will present in mid-July," the official told IANS here.
State Housing Minister U.T. Abdul Khader of the Congress and senior officials of the department will estimate funds required for land acquisition and building at least one lakh houses per year and submit it for the budgetary allocation.
"The Chief Minister has also directed the officials to adopt corporate style of functioning for implementing the housing project for the poor as it has potential to generate hundreds of direct and indirect jobs," added the official.
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
Stray dogs case: We will play video, ask you what is humanity, SC tells petitioner
New Delhi (PTI): Responding to a petitioner in the stray dogs case who objected to some rules framed by the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) saying "inhuman" treatment was being meted out to them, the Supreme Court on Thursday said a video will be played in the next hearing, "asking you what is humanity".
Senior advocate Kapil Sibal, who is appearing in the stray dogs case, told a bench of Justices Vikram Nath and Sandeep Mehta that a three-judge special bench which was scheduled to assemble on Thursday to hear the matter was cancelled.
"It will come on January 7," Justice Nath said.
Sibal said, "The problem is that the MCD, in the meantime, has framed some rules which are completely contrary.color:red;"
He urged the bench to hear the matter on Friday, saying authorities don't even have dog shelters. "It is very very inhuman what is being done," Sibal said.
Justice Mehta, in an apparent reference to the stray dog menace, said "On the next date, we will play a video for your benefit and we will ask you what is humanity," .
Sibal responded that they will also play a video to show what was happening.
"The problem is your lordships has passed an order and we respect that. But the point is, there are statutory rules," he said.
When the bench said it would consider the matter on January 7, Sibal said the authorities will implement the rules in December itself.
"They will be implementing it and they will be removing the dogs. They don't have shelters," he said.
Justice Nath said, "It is alright Mr Sibal. Let them do it, we will consider."
The bench said it would hear the matter on January 7.
On November 7, taking note of the "alarming rise" in dog bite incidents within institutional areas like educational institutions, hospitals and railway stations, the apex court directed the forthwith relocation of stray canines to designated shelters after due sterilisation and vaccination.
A three-judge special bench had also said the stray dogs so picked up shall not be released back in the place they were picked up from.
The bench had directed the authorities to ensure the removal of all cattle and other stray animals from state highways, national highways and expressways.
It had said recurrence of dog bite incidents within institutional areas, including sports complexes, reflected not only administrative apathy but also a "systemic failure" to secure these premises from preventable hazards.
The top court had passed a slew of directions in the suo motu case over the stray dog menace.
It is hearing a suo motu case, initiated on July 28 over a media report on stray dog bites leading to rabies, particularly among children, in the national capital.
