Bengaluru, 8 Feb

Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Thursday personally met people with disabilities, the elderly, farmers, and women to hear their grievances during the redressal programme "Janaspandana 2.0" in Vidhana Soudha.

Over 20,000 people from across the State including faraway places thronged in front of Vidhana Soudha to seek relief to their problems.

In what is billed to be the first such mass grievance redressal programme held in Vidhana Soudha, department-wise stalls were set up at the venue to help the citizens. The grievances ranged from farmers seeking loan aid to patients seeking the funds to meet their needs.

In a request that shocked the Chief Minister, a specially-abled woman requested him to grant her mercy death as she had no will to live. The woman said she had no money and no kin to look after her.

A farmer from Raichur urged Siddaramaiah to provide discounts on tractors. The farmer, Eeranna, said that he had already applied for discounts multiple times but didn't get them. He alleged that the district commissioner only provided discounts to those who were close to MLA Shivangouda Patil Naik.

Siddaramaiah announced Rs 1 lakh medical aid on the spot to an eight-year-old boy N Krishna from Kolar district suffering from prolonged illness. He also gave Rs 50,000 compensation to Lokesh Puttanayak, who was involved in an accident.

Over 12,372 aggrieved people registered their complaints. It is the highest complaint received by the revenue department.

Rajesh, a guest lecturer, travelled from Arakalagud taluk of Hassan. He said PU guest lecturers are neglected over degree professors. "Out of nine months, we get only seven months' salary, and when a permanent lecturer is recruited we become jobless overnight," he said.

Siddaramaiah instructed the officials to ensure all the grievances were resolved within three months.  Meanwhile, small business owners from Shivamogga requested Siddaramaiah to grant loans without delay. "If we wait for district administration to solve our issue, it will take years for them to fix our problems," said Raja N of Ambedkar Abhivruddi Nigama.

The event was also attended by hundreds of differently abled people who requested the ministers for jobs and housing. Suresh AP from Bengaluru with a 40 per cent disability in his leg said, "It is hard to be consistent at a job due to my disability, it would be helpful if I get a house."

Thousands of women who attended the event complained about Gruha Jyoti and Gruha Lakshmi schemes and alleged that they did receive any money.

Siddaramaiah had held a similar exercise on 27 November last year at his home office 'Krishna'.

A total of 936 police personnel -- eight ACPs, 23 Inspectors, 58 Sub-Inspectors, 205 Police Constables, 142 Woman Police Constables, and 500 Home Guards -- were deployed for the event.