No change in labour card eligibility, says minister Santosh Lad

Dharwad, Apr 7: Labour Minister Santosh Lad on Monday clarified that labour cards will be issued to all those working as labourers, regardless of their family background. He dismissed reports suggesting that applications are being rejected if the applicant’s ration card shows a farming background.

“There is no change in the rules. Anyone working as a labourer will be given a labour card. People should not be misled by claims that web portals are rejecting applications due to family farming history,” the minister told reporters in Dharwad.

Speaking on other issues, Lad said that over 6,000 unauthorized power transformers in the district need to be regularized, and discussions have been held with officials to find a solution. He mentioned that the KUSUM-2 scheme is being implemented to provide a better power system for farmers.

The minister also said that there have been talks about increasing salaries of part-time lecturers at Karnataka University (KUD). Addressing concerns of staff in the Hubballi-Dharwad municipal corporation, he explained that while the government pays their salaries, it has currently advised the use of local revenue due to financial constraints. “This is not just for KUD, but applies across the state,” Lad added.