Bengaluru: Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Tuesday announced the services of the conservancy workers working on contract basis would be regularized by March next year.
Speaking after launching free meal programme for conservancy workers at Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) Head Office, the chief minister said the state government has taken the decision to regularize the services of conservancy workers working on contract basis. “I want the conservancy workers not to approach middlemen for this purpose,’’ the chief minister said.
He said the state government has allocated Rs 85,000 crore for the welfare of scheduled castes and tribes and the government has been spending Rs 19,542 crore this year as per the 24.1 per cent reservation. “The government has hiked the salary of conservancy workers by Rs 5,075 and with this now each conservancy worker will get the salary of Rs 12,000 per month. I want the conservancy workers not to waste the money. I want them to use the money for their children’s education. They should make their children doctors, engineers or politicians. I do not want the conservancy workers to fall in debt trap. The state government has been taking measures to distribute 4,000 flats to the conservancy workers,’’ he said.
The chief minister also advised the BBMP authorities to utilize the state government’s grant Rs 7,300 crore for the development of Bengaluru. Taking a dig at Opposition parties, the chief minister said that opposing developmental works has become a habit for opposition parties. “It is the Opposition parties who propose developmental works. They oppose when the government takes up those developmental works,’’ he said.
Speaking on the occasion, Minister for Bengaluru Development and Town Planning K J George said the BBMP would transfer the salary amount to the bank accounts of the conservancy workers.
Free meal for conservancy workers
The BBMP will supply free meal for conservancy workers at 44 wards in the city. Around 32,000 conservancy workers are expected to benefit from this initiative. The free meal scheme is expected to be extended to other wards within a few months.
