City may get A-1 status

City may get A-1 status
Monday September 3 2007 14:06 IST
BANGALORE: Union Labour Minister Oscar Fernandes today assured to look into the demand for granting A-1 status to the city.

Addresing a conference of the all India postal employees (bangalore West division) here today, Fernandes said that he would look into the demand by them to notify the city as metro city and grant a-1 status as soon as possible.

The demand comes in the wake of the Centre giving the A-1 status to Hyderabad for the purpose of providing house rent allowance.

The minister said that the postal and railway departments have the largest connectivity, network and reach.

A proper model is required to meet the problems of the union, since postal is the only sector growing with the population.

“Remodelling the post and telegraph system is important to improve business. It should also recruit more employees as ample opportunities exist. Planning is required to extend the social benefits to the unorganised sector. The rural employment guarantee scheme is very helpful for people in the interior as it will make rural society economically self-reliant,” he said.

The Minister also said that the Union Government has already mapped out a scheme to benefit millions in the unorganised and health sectors. Plans will be tabled soon.

Former deputy chief minister Siddaramaiah said that the postal department plays a very important role in the communication field as even today over 65 per cent of the population reside in rural areas, where the technological advances have not reached.

“On one side is the GDP growth hovering around 9.3 per cent, and on the other, 30-40 people out of every 100 are living below the poverty line.

The postal department provides equal services to all. This is the only department which is free from corruption. There are many MLAs and even police constables who are declaring assets in crores which they all say is white money, and everybody knows it’s far from the truth.

Economic philosophies should be recast to mould a better and more just society, he asserted.