Udupi: D.V. Sadandanda Gowda, MP, said on Saturday that the programmes run by government boards and corporations could become successful only if their benefits reached genuine beneficiaries.

He was speaking at a function to distribute Rs. loans worth Rs. 34.11 lakh among 308 beneficiaries under various schemes of the Karnataka Minorities Development Corporation (KMDC) here.

Mr. Gowda said that even after 60 years of Independence, the welfare schemes were not attaining their objectives. This was because nearly 50 per cent of the grants meant for the welfare of minorities and other communities was being pocketed by the middlemen.

In a majority of cases, the borrowers were not prompt in their repayment. This had prompted the Government to reduce its grants to corporations and boards. This resulted in the reduction of the benefits under welfare schemes of backward communities, he said. Those availing loans should promptly repay them. The grants released for the welfare of minority communities in the last 20 years amounted to Rs. 1.42 crore whereas . Chief Minister B.S. Yeddyurappa had released Rs. 64 lakh for the same purpose in the last one year. “This bears testimony for the concern this Government has for the minority communities,” Mr. Gowda said.

Mr. Gowda told presspersons here on Saturday that the Congress and the Janata Dal (S), which were criticising the State Government on flood relief measures in north Karnataka, should do their homework well and come prepared for the all-party meeting to be held on Sunday at Bangalore. The State Government would always welcome suggestions from the Opposition parties on the flood relief front. “We are ready to answer all criticisms,” he said.

Mr. Gowda launched the smart cards of the Regional Transport office here.

He said that hitherto the driving licences were in the form of small booklets. Unlike them, the smart cards would be durable and contained all relevant details about the card-holder. The Regional Transport offices were being computerised rapidly. This would help in better coordination, he said.

RTO H.N. Ramesh said that the Transport Department had started issuing smart cards to applicants of new driving licences and registration. Priced at Rs. 200 each, these smart cards were made of plastic and had a 32-kilobyte Random Access Memory chip embedded in it. It would record traffic offences , if any, he said.

Udupi: District Health and Family Welfare Officer Ramachandra Bairy said on Saturday that the department was training medical officers and paramedical staff in treating persons suffering from mental ailments at primary health centres’ (PHCs) level in the district. He was speaking as the chief guest at a function to observe World Mental Health Day, organised by the District Legal Services Authority, Health and Family Welfare Department, District Government Hospital, National Rural Health Mission, Udupi Bar Association, and A.V. Baliga Charities here. The theme of this year’s World Mental Health Day is: “Mental health in primary care: enhancing treatment and promoting mental health”.

Dr. Bairy said that 105 medical officers (doctors) had been trained in treating mental ailments in March this year. The paramedical staff had also been given a day’s training in September.

Chief Civil Judge (senior division) Savitri V. Bhat, president of the Bar Association Vijay Hegde, trustee of the IMA Udupi Ravindranath Shetty, and director of the Nitte Rural Mental Health Centre Naveenchandra Shettywere present.

Udupi: Chairman of the Karavali Karnataka Development Authority (KKDA) B. Nagaraj Shetty said on Tuesday that the State Government was giving priority to building houses to those who had lost them during the recent heavy rains and floods in Uttara Kannada district.

Mr. Shetty told presspersons here that there was a massive destruction of life and property in coastal districts owing to rains. While 24 persons died in Uttara Kannada district alone, one death was reported in Dakshina Kannada. Personnel of the Indian army and navy were trying to locate the bodies of the deceased in Uttara Kannada district. They were doing a remarkable job in adverse conditions, he said.

The Government had announced a relief of Rs. 1 lakh to the kin of the deceased in 10 families in Uttara Kannada district. Twney-one “ganji kendras” (gruel centres) had been set up in this district. Medical facilities were being provided at the gruel centres, Mr. Shetty said.

In Udupi district, many houses had been damaged in Kundapur taluk. According to officials, the damage to houses in Kundapur taluk was estimated at Rs. 2.5 lakh.

A detailed survey of the damage to properties in the three coastal districts would soon be taken up. He would give his one month’s salary for flood relief, he said.

The activists of the sangh parivar were helping the relief operation in Uttara Kannada district, Mr. Shetty added.

Udupi: Lakshmivara Tirtha Swamiji of Shiroor Math will undertake a padayatra here on October 5 to help the people affected by heavy rain in north Karnataka districts.

Addressing presspersons here on Saturday, General Secretary of Udupi Zilla Nagarika Vedike and municipal councillor Nityananda Volakadu said that during the padayatra, money, clothes and materials would be collected. Arrangements had been made to send the materials collected to the affected districts

Udupi, October 3: “Mobile Banking a new service from Vijaya Bank has established a new milestone in technological field”, said Ashok Chawla Finance Secretary for Indian Government on inaugurating V- Mobile Banking service at New Delhi on September 29th.

Vijaya Bank is one of the few banks which started mobile banking services. The whole management is grateful to that said Chawla. He also appreciated application of CBS in 100% of its branches.

The service has been started in memory of founder’s day. The bank will not only develop technologically but will also develop its quality and size, said Bank President and Managing Director Albert Tavro and Executive Director S C Calia. Senior officers were present.

Balance enquiry, fund transfer are the new services available from the bank.