Mysore MP A.H. Vishwanath on Tuesday expressed his unhappiness over the progress of Total Sanitation Campaign (TSC) in the district and directed officials to make use of funds released under the programme for constructing toilets.
“Open defecation is still prevalent in the district. This is a matter of shame. The Union government has been releasing funds for constructing toilets under the scheme. Steps should be taken to persuade people to support initiatives aimed at achieving total sanitation. People should be educated about the harmful effects of open defecation,” Mr. Vishwanath said.
The MP was presiding over a meeting of District-level Vigilance Committee. Chamarajanagar MP R. Dhruvanarayana, Hunsur MLA Manjunath, Mysore Zilla Panchayat president Suneetha Veerappa Gowda and zilla panchayat Chief Executive Officer G. Satyavathi were present.
Zilla panchayat Project Officer Vasundhara Devi said the TSC was being implemented in the district since 2000-01 and the programme had been extended till 2017. She said Rs. 54.86 crore had been allocated for the district under the programme since 2000-01. So far, Rs. 20.16 crore had been released (of which, the Centre's share was Rs. 14.19 crore).
She said 17 gram panchayats in the district had bagged the Nirmal Gram Puraskar up to 2010-11.
MNREGA progress
Mr. Dhruvanarayana said Rs. 52.95 crore was sanctioned to the district in 2011-12 under Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MNREGA), of which Rs. 32.92 crore had been spent so far.
Responding to an official's claim that K.R. Nagar taluk had achieved 123 per cent progress in the implementation of MNREGA schemes, Mr. Dhruvanarayana said: “You said Rs. 3 crore had been spent in K.R. Nagar taluk. But, only Rs. 4 lakh was spent in Adagur, the birthplace of Mr. Vishwanath. Adagur Gram Panchayat has seven villages.”
Same was the case in villages coming under Chandagaalu, Hosa Agrahara, Narachanahalli and Tandre gram panchayats. “Why? Are there no people in those villages to come for work?” he said.
Mr. Dhruvanarayana was not convinced by the reply given by K.R. Nagar Taluk Panchayat Executive Officer Basavaraju.
Intervening, Mr. Vishwanath said: “Politics should not come in the way of the implementing government programmes. Government officers should be committed and be sincere in implementing government schemes.”
