Karnataka opens legal aid centre under Praja Seva outreach programme

Karnataka Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar has announced the opening of a dedicated legal aid centre under the government’s Praja Seva public outreach campaign. Launching the programme at Periyapatna in Mysuru on Saturday, Shivakumar said the centre would provide free assistance to people dealing with legal matters.

Legal aid representatives would attend the outreach programmes alongside government officials. The Chief Minister said Praja Seva was intended to take government services to people’s doorsteps and resolve grievances. The department was launched on September 5, and 620 programmes had been held by Saturday, he said.

More than one lakh applications had been received, with most concerning the Revenue, Rural Development and Urban Development departments. Shivakumar said he would personally review the disposal of applications and that officials would have to explain any unresolved case and find a solution. He said the income threshold for pension eligibility had been raised from ₹32,000 to ₹1.20 lakh after complaints from beneficiaries.

According to Shivakumar, the decision had benefited 12 lakh pensioners. He also said the government planned to provide sites to five lakh poor people in the first phase. The Chief Minister said 217 taluks had been affected by drought and that support measures for farmers were being considered, including ploughing and tractor assistance under the Negilayogi scheme.

He also announced annual assistance of ₹10 lakh for Bharat Jodo Yuva Sanghas. Shivakumar alleged that applications had been submitted to delete poor people’s names from electoral rolls, while saying safeguards had been introduced. He also asked people not to encroach on forest land and urged holders of unlicensed firearms to surrender them before November 1.