Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Monday directed deputy commissioners of all districts to ensure drinking water supply in affected areas and not to cite excuses of absence of clear policy guidelines. “If a particular part of the water supply scheme through borewells is not covered under Central government grants, the State will bear the cost,” Mr. Siddaramaiah directed senior officials of the Revenue and Panchayat Raj departments while presiding over a review meeting. While some deputy commissioners said expenditure on installation of electric motors in newly sunk borewells was not covered under the scheme, Minister of State for Agriculture Krishna Byre Gowda suggested to the Chief Minister that motors installed in defunct borewells could be used for the new borewells instead.
