Labour Minister and district in-charge for Dharwad Santosh Lad has said that steps had been taken for ensuring adequate drinking water, fodder to cattle, and employment for job card-holders in the drought-hit Dharwad district and a proposal worth ₹212 crore had been submitted to the State government for drought relief.
Hoisting the national flag during the 68th Kannada Rajyotsava celebrations in Dharwad on Wednesday, he said it was a matter of pride that the unification movement was initiated from Dharwad. He recalled the contributions of R.H. Deshpande, Deputy Chennabasappa, Adaragunchi Shankar Gowda, and others in the unification movement.
Recalling the developments leading to the unification of Karnataka and subsequent renaming of the State as Karnataka in 1973, Mr. Lad said that to mark the silver jubilee of the renaming of Karnataka, year-long programmes dedicated to the land and the language would be held across the State.
Referring to the songs dedicated to Karnataka like .. ‘udayavagali namma cheluva kannada nadu’ of Huilgol Narayanarao, ‘elladaru entadaruiru’ of Kuvempu, ‘onde onde onde, Karnataka onde’ of Da.Ra. Bendre, ‘hottito, hottitu kannada deepa’ of Siddayya Puranik and ‘hesaragali Karnataka usiragali kannada’, he said songs like these had strengthened the essence of Kannada among the mass.
Mr. Lad said that as already announced by the Chief Minister, a Trust in the memory of researcher M.M. Kalburgi would soon take shape and the government was involved in the work of expanding the Kannada research base. He also recalled the contribution of litterateurs from Dharwad.
Referring to the successful implementation of guarantee schemes, the Minister said that 3.74 crore women had availed the benefit of free ride in buses, while 2,28,690 women had received ₹64.74 crore under Gruha Lakshmi scheme. Similarly 3.87 lakh families had received ₹53.33 crore under Anna Bhagya scheme and 4.63 lakh household consumers had benefitted under Gruha Jyoti scheme.
Deputy Commissioner of Dharwad Gurudatta Hegde, Police Commissioner Renuka Sukumar, Zilla Panchayat chief executive officer Swaroopa T.K., Superintendent of Police Gopal Byakod and other senior officials of various departments were present.
After an attractive march past by various contingents of police, home guards, armed reserve police, emergency and fire services, excise and Bharat Scouts and Guides volunteers, students of various schools enthralled the audience through colourful and lively cultural programmes.
On the occasion, Mr. Lad also flagged off ‘Kannada Jagruti Ratha’ of NWKRTC and mobile publicity vehicle on health department schemes.
