IndiaCSR News Network
NEW DELHI: H. K. Patil Karnataka’s Minister for Rural Development & Panchayat Raj will inaugurate the India Sanitation Summit ‘Sanitation for All – Toilet First’ on February 6, 2015 at PHD House, August Kranti Marg, New Delhi. Minister Patil – a well-known face of successful program implementation – during his various tenures as Ministers since 1993 has introduced numerous innovative steps for the benefit of poor people. (visit http://www.indiasanitationsummit.indiacsr.in)
Karnataka is one of the state that is planning to introduce ‘Right to Sanitation’- in first of its kind initiative throughout the nation. H. K. Patil Minister along with other Govt. officials is mentoring this campaign to ensure the implementation of the program at the root level and for the end beneficiaries. The state Government is planning to build a total of 10 lakh toilets in the identified regions so that lack of toilet facilities does not result in lack of education for the girl child and the dignity of the people who have to go to open for defecation.
“We are extremely proud of Honorable Minister participation as the Chief Guest at the Summit. His presence at the event will surely bring value addition to different aspects of the Summit,” said Rusen Kumar, Founder IndiaCSR. “His experiences in developing the sanitation program in Karnataka and making it the first state of the country in its effective implementation, will take us to the new directions in making this nationwide campaign a success,” Rusen further added.
Speakers at India Sanitation Summit, 6 Feb, New Delhi
Making Karnataka open defecation free by 2018
After assuming the office as Minister for Rural Development & Panchayat Raj, Karnataka, he has designed action plan for making Karnataka State open defecation free by 2018 to realize this goal. He devised a program called “Shouchalayakkagi Samara” which means crusade for Toilet Construction. During year 2013-14 around 5.05 lakhs and this year 5.18 lakhs toilets have been constructed. Now Karnataka is in forefront in construction of toilets in entire nation under his leadership.
A minister with Vision
In the disturbing contemporary political scenario in India H.K. Patil has worked with a sensitive and troubled mind and emerged statesman. The architecture of an inclusive society is the soul of democracy. This was felt and he tried to reach the expectations of the fathers of the Constitution of India.
Being, instrumental in bringing Karnataka Transparency in Public Procurement Act which was one of the land mark architecture of the statesman H.K. Patil changed the system of public procurement in the state.
His onslaught on corruption with all sensitivity and humility at his command is commendable. While within the government being Minister for Water Resources H.K. Patil not only abolished the peace work contract system which was considered to be mother of corruption racket.
In his younger days as Minister of State for Textiles, Food Processing and Industrial Co-operatives his constructive work in establishing Karnataka Power Loom Development Corporation, Karnataka Hand Loom Technology Institute, Power Loom Complexes ensured weavers of Karnataka to get minimum 100 days work which was earlier falsely promised by the every government which came to power during the previous decades.
His stint as Minister of Law, Parliamentary Affairs and Human Rights was a marvelous experience to the people of Karnataka in general and legal community in particular. Establishment of Karnataka State Law University, a separate university for legal education, State Human Rights Commission among them.
As an author he authored several books viz; Carving a Caring System (English), Cauvery : Lopa-Mudre (Kannada), Chaluva Kannada Nadu-Nanasagada Kanasu (Kannada), Keli Krishneya Koogu (Kannada), Heliddenu-Madiddenu? (Kannada), Gadugina Pawana (Kannada) and OOluvavana OOrugolu Kitthu Ullavanige (Kannada). He was also editor of Vishala Karnataka Kannada Daily.
