The Karnataka Government has decided to enhance the income ceiling for poor students to make them eligible forbenefits under various schemes, including scholarship and admission to hostels.

The income limit for students would be raised from Rs 11,000 to Rs 40,000 in rural areas and Rs 50,000 in urban areas, the Minister for Social Welfare, Mr A. Narayanaswamy told newspersons here.

He said he had detected several lapses during his visit to 18 districts, where he reviewed the progress in the implementation of programmes for SCs and STs drawn up by the Social Welfare Department.

At least 10 per cent of the 5,000-odd gram panchayats had failed to utilise funds earmarked for SC and ST welfare and had not even bothered to draw up an action plan for it, Mr Narayanaswamy said.

In town municipalities and city municipal councils, spending had not crossed 25-30 per cent of the allocation, he said.

In areas where houses had been built for Dalits, officials had not distributed the land right records, he said.

A meeting of Deputy Commissioners and CEOs of zilla panchayats would be convened on June 20 to discuss these issues, he said.

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