Karnataka - Bijapur   

State MPs to meet Manmohan for release of more funds

Explaining plans: Chief Minister B.S. Yeddyurappa addressing a gathering near Ukumnal village in Bijapur taluk on Wednesday.

Bijapur: Chief Minister B.S. Yeddyurappa has said that a delegation of State MPs will soon meet Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Union Home Minister P. Chidambaram to seek more funds for creating basic infrastructure in villages that will be relocated.

Addressing presspersons after laying the foundation stone for the new Ukumnal village in Bijapur taluk here on Wednesday, he said that during Mr. Chidambaram’s recent visit to Bagalkot district, he had promised that the Centre would study the release of more funds for infrastructure in the flood-affected villages. Mr. Yeddyurappa said the delegation would apprise them of the rehabilitation efforts that were being taken up in the State.

The State had utilised Rs. 1,100 crore for providing jobs to the poor under the Mahatma Gandhi Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGREGA) last year. The Centre had now promised to allocate Rs. 2,864 crore to the State under the scheme. Officials had been instructed to make sincere efforts to provide jobs to all beneficiaries in the flood-affected villages, he added.

A meeting of private organisations and maths that had come forward to construct houses for the flood-affected people in the State was held in Bangalore recently. “Once the acquisition of land is complete, the organisations will be asked to start work,” he added.

On the Opposition criticism that the Government had not taken the relief work seriously, Mr. Yeddyurappa said that before pointing a finger at the Government, the Opposition should analyse their contribution to the people.

“Although most villages in north Karnataka suffer from floods every year, most governments have not taken any steps to relocate them to safe places. This lack of political will among elected representatives has made the people suffer. But it is still not late for a concerted effort,” he added.

The Chief Minister also laid the foundation stone for the new Vibutihalli, Guddalli and Ramhalli villages in Sindagi taluks. Deputy Commissioner R. Shantraju, zilla panchayat chief executive officer K.H. Kaknur and Assistant Commissioner Y.S. Patil were present.

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