Corporations abound, but many are headless, lack infrastructure

BENGALURU: The Karnataka government is setting up new boards and corporations to woo people from certain castes and communities, but has not considered the logistics of the exercise.  At least 15 caste-based boards and corporations announced earlier do not have chairmen, and the department of social welfare is struggling to find space for these corporations. 

Last week, CM B S Yediyurappa ordered the constitution of the Maratha Development Board and the Veerashaiva-Lingayat Corporation, following which many communities are also demanding similar bodies.  At present, there are 20 corporations, based on caste and community, in Karnataka. Of these, only five corporations have chairpersons — Brahmin, Arya Vaishya, Maharshi Valmiki SC and ST Corporation, Ambiga Chowdaiah and Thaanda Development Corporation. 

The remaining 15 corporations, including Bhovi Development Corporation, Madiwala Maachideva Development Corporation, Vishwakarma Development Corporation, Uppara Development Corporation, Savitha Samaja and many others are headless. The Savitha Samaja Development Corporation, announced when HD Kumaraswamy was CM, does not even have an office. Kumaraswamy, in his budget, had allocated Rs 25 crore for the Savitha Samaja. 

A senior official from the social welfare department said some corporations do not even have funds to pay salary to their staff. “Irrespective of party, CMs announce boards and corporations, and most of these come under the social welfare department. There was a proposal to shift all corporations to Devaraja Urs Bhavan, but where is the space? All this is unnecessary expenditure,” the official said, on condition of anonymity.