State to make best use of Central scheme

By S. Rajendran

BANGALORE, SEPT. 8. The State Government is preparing an elaborate proposal to secure the maximum benefit out of the ``Sampoorna Grameena Rozgar Yojana'', expected to be launched by the Union Government shortly.

The need to tap the scheme to the optimal level is said to have arisen following the successful implementation of the ``food for work'' programme, launched in the State recently as part of the drought relief operations. The State Government has thanked the Centre for releasing one lakh tonnes of foodgrains under the programme though it is upset that the Centre has not yet provided special financial assistance. The Chief Minister, Mr. S. M. Krishna, is monitoring the preparation of the proposal which is likely to bring in a bonanza to the State in times of drought or severe summer when a large number of farm workers would be without work and face starvation.

In his Independence Day address to the nation, the Prime Minister, Mr. A. B. Vajpayee, announced that the Centre would launch the scheme. Under the scheme, 50 per cent of the payment to labourers would be in the form of foodgrains and the rest in cash. The State Governments would have to participate in a small way in making the payments.

Sources in the Government told The Hindu here that the Minister of State for Food and Civil Supplies Minister, Mr. D. B. Inamdar, who represented the Chief Minister at a meeting in New Delhi three days ago, felt that the State would benefit by the scheme. The Chief Minister held a meeting and directed the officials to prepare an elaborate proposal. In all likelihood, Mr. Krishna would himself put across the State's proposal to the Centre.

Mr. Inamdar told The Hindu that under the Rozgar Yojana, Rs. 10,000 crores would be made available to the States. Karnataka would obviously like to derive the maximum benefit since it had the most arid regions after Rajasthan. Most of the northern and central districts of the State, apart from Kolar, comprised dry belts where there was shortage of drinking water in summer.

Under the scheme, the States should undertake projects to create assets and unemployed farm labourers were regarded the most eligible to join the work force. All government departments could undertake the projects. The Education Department could construct school and college buildings, the Forest Department could take up afforestation, the Irrigation Department could desilt minor irrigation tanks, and the panchayats could develop rural roads.

Mr. Inamdar, who claimed that the food for work programme was successful, said the Government would make a fresh request for an additional release of foodgrains for drought relief works based on the demand from the districts. As of now, the stock of foodgrains available in the districts should suffice for another fortnight, he added.

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