Bengaluru: Social Welfare Department has launched a Helpline ‘Kalyana Kendra’ to address the grievances of students staying at SC/ST hostels in the State.

The Helpline number is 080-22634300 or can be contacted through WhatsApp number 99011-00000. Launching the facility at Yuvanika on Nrupathunga Road here on Tuesday, Dy. Chief Minister Dr. G. Parameshwara said that the Department was running 2,500 SC/ST hostels and added that inmates of those hostel can air their grievances on the infrastructure, food or any matter pertaining to the hostel.

He further said that the grievances would be first attended by the Tahsildar and if need be, could be attended by the Deputy Commissioner. If no remedial measures are taken, the grievances would be heard even by the Minister concerned.

Continuing, Dr. Parameshwara said, the Helpline would be functioned round-the-clock and is first of its kind in the country.