○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ Complaints Before the Commission ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ Karnataka by the Development Commissioner including the implementation of PDS at the district and village level; (d) A credible rural employment programme based on productive public works with a guarantee of at least 100 to 120 days of employment with guaranteed minimum wages; (e) The programme of providing 5 kg. of rice as “take home” ration should be restarted by the Karnataka Government and nutrition programmes must also be strengthened. 4.158 The above recommendations of the Special Rapporteur, NHRC were forwarded to the State Government of Karnataka as well as Union Ministries of Agriculture and Rural Development for obtaining their comments and the Chief Secretary, Karnataka and the Secretaries of Union Ministries of Agriculture and Rural Development were requested to submit Action Taken Report. 4.159 In response, the State Government of Karnataka vide letter dated 17/6/2004 submitted the Action Taken Report on the various recommendations indicating inter alia, the following measures taken by the State Government: (a) Distribution of additional food grains to 68,000 beneficiaries under Annapoorna Scheme (b) Issue of 35 kgs. of food grain per BPL family per month (c) Beneficiaries under Anthyodaya Anna Yojana have been increased to 7,l19,700 from 4,79,700 (d) Providing 100 days of employment to the needy and willing rural poor (e) As on 31.03.2004, 12.20 lakhs Kissan Credit Cards have been issued to the farmers in the Co-operative Sector for obtaining loan (f) An Act, namely, “The Karnataka Prohibition of Charging Exorbitant Interest Act, 2004” has been implemented in the State. Under the said Act, where a debtor or any member of his family commits suicide and if it is shown that immediately prior to such suicide, the debtor or any member of his family was subjected to molestation by any person, the person who has advanced loan shall, unless the contrary is provided, be deemed to have abetted the commission of such suicide and notwithstanding anything contained in the Karnataka Money Lenders Act1961, no action against debtor who is a farmer or agricultural labourer to recover loan shall be taken for a period of one year from the date of commencement of the Ordinance National Human Rights Commission Annual Report - 2004-2005 AR-Chapter-1-19-10-6-06.p65 75 55 7/17/06, 6:29 PM

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