BELAGAVI: The state government has launched the ‘Buddha, Basava, Ambedkar Site Allotment Scheme’ to create residential layouts comparable to private developments.
The scheme aims to develop fully serviced layouts with complete infrastructure, providing residential sites to individuals from Scheduled Castes (SC) and Scheduled Tribes (ST) throughout the state.
During the announcement, Public Works and Belagavi district in-charge Minister Satish Jarkiholi shared that the initiative will commence as a pilot project spanning 1,000 acres.
After paying tribute to Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar’s statue on his birth anniversary at Dr. B R Ambedkar Park in Belagavi, the minister emphasized that this is a pioneering initiative in the country. Approximately Rs 20 crore from the SCP/TSP scheme will fund the project.
Initially, 42 acres of land have been earmarked for new layouts in Belagavi, Bellary, and Mysuru districts. The allocations include 16 acres in Belagavi district, 15.7 acres in the Kurugodu town panchayat of Bellary district, 5.3 acres in Bokkahalli under Hulimavu gram panchayat in Mysuru district, and 5 acres in Satahalli satellite town in Mysuru district.
Although sites have been allotted to SC/ST communities for about 20 years, essential infrastructure has often been lacking. Jarkiholi explained that a private development model will be implemented for the ‘Buddha Basava Ambedkar Site Allocation’ project using a grant of around Rs 20 crore from the SCP/TSP scheme.
The respective gram panchayats and local bodies will handle the selection of beneficiaries and site allocations as per existing regulations. The Public Works Department (PWD) will focus solely on developing the plots, which will then be handed over to the relevant panchayats or urban local bodies.
Jarkiholi clarified that the PWD will not participate in site selection or beneficiary allocation.
