Bengaluru: The State’s highly ambitious programme to help the poor and the labour force to consume food at cheap cost by setting up Indira Canteens has got further fillip. As a New Year gift to the people, it will start functioning all over the State from  January 1, 2018.

Apart from this, as there is shortage of specialist doctors in rural areas, two-year diploma course, DNB (Diplomate of National Board) will be started, so that MBBS doctors working in government hospitals can take up this course. These and a slew of other decisions were taken at the Cabinet Committee meeting held here yesterday.

After the meeting, Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister T.B. Jayachandra, addressing a press conference said that Rs.185 crore has been released to set up Indira Canteens in all the district and taluk hospitals and bus stands.

In the first stage, food will be served at the cheapest cost at 246 centres in 171 regions across the State from January 1, 2018. Nearly one lakh people are going to be benefited by this move every day. The government is going to spend Rs. 9 crore monthly on this programme, he said.

Directions have been given to identify places before Nov.17 to set up Indira Canteens and by Dec. 17, the construction of the buildings should  be completed.

Free gas cylinders: Likewise, under the Mukhyamantri Anila Bhagya scheme, two gas cylinders, a stove, two refills and two burners will be provided freely to Below Poverty Line (BPL) families and the distribution will begin from December. The cost for this is Rs. 1,137 crore, said Jayachandra.

It is estimated that there are 28 lakh families in the State without gas cylinders. Out of this, eight lakh families will be provided cylinders under the Centre’s Ujwala scheme. Excluding this, the remaining 20 lakh families will be brought under Mukhyamnatri Anil Bhagya scheme and out of this 10 lakh families will get the gas cylinders first by next March, he said.

Similarly, if people living in the rural areas who are using one litre kerosene, return the cards, they will be provided rechargeable LED bulbs under ‘Punar Belaku,’ scheme, he said.

DNB course for Doctors

In order to overcome the shortage of specialist doctors, the government has decided to open DNB courses in 10 government hospitals. The MBBS doctors working in Chitradurga, Kolar, Tumakuru, Ballari, Bagalkote, Dharwad, Kalaburagi and Vijayapura District Hospitals, besides the Bengaluru’s K.C. General Hospital  and Jayanagar Government Hospital will be given opportunities to take up                                                DNB (Broad Specialities) course, said Jayachandra.

Since these courses are equivalent to Post Graduate Medical Courses, the doctors can work in their respective government hospitals and study the course. Every year 1,065 doctors will be given opportunity for admission, he said.

Free kits for ITI students: It has been decided to provide study materials through MSIL to more than 40,000 SC/ST students studying in ITI institutions under the Kaushalya scheme. Also, tool kits at a cost of  Rs. 29 crore will be provided to ITI students who belong to the SC/ST community.

A pair of shoes and socks will be given under the special unit scheme to more than 21,000 students at a cost of Rs. 6 crore. This facility will be provided to students studying in aided ITI colleges coming under SC/ST category. Each student will get Rs. 1,545 for this. 46 ITIs in the State will be upgraded, he said.

It has been decided to sanction Rs. 20.27 crore to purchase mechanical equipment. Another Rs. 16.70 crore has been earmarked for buying additional mechanical equipment in 46 ITIs, he said.

108 ambulance: Some of the 108 ambulances under the Aroyaga Kavacha are not in good condition. In all, 95 ambulances with ventilator facility and an additional 276 life-saving ambulances will be added, was the decision taken at the Cabinet Committee meeting. About Rs.61 crore will be spent on this scheme and thus the aim will be to improve the ambulance services, said Jayachandra.

It has been decided to pay honorarium to the training of Vigilance Committee members attached to the Fair Price Shops (FPS) throughout the State.                                  

Those members coming under the Gram Panchayat will be paid Rs.75 per month and Rs.150 per month will be paid to those coming under the Taluk centres, he said.