The Hindu : Concessions for farmers, pay panel for govt. staff

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, Feb 13, 2004

Karnataka

Karnataka

Concessions for farmers, pay panel for govt. staff

By Our Special Correspondent

BANGALORE, FEB. 12. The Chief Minister, S.M. Krishna, today announced more concessions to farmers and the setting up of a commission for revision of pay scales of government employees.

Replying to discussions on the budget for 2004-05 in the Legislative Assembly, he said the Government had decided to reduce the interest on loans granted by the district central cooperative banks to 8.5 per cent from April 1.

Mr. Krishna said that certain norms for giving power connections to irrigation pump-sets would be relaxed. Farmers who applied for new connections would have to pay Rs. 25,000 in three instalments, and those who sought installation of a transformer would have to pay Rs. 6,500 in two equal instalments.

The Chief Minister said 4,000 irrigation pump-sets would be installed in the next fortnight under the Ganga Kalyana Scheme.

He announced the setting up of a one-man commission on revision of pay-scales for government employees. Justice M.P. Chinnappa, retired Judge of the Karnataka High Court, would head the commission, he said and added that the terms of reference of the commission would be announced later.

In response to appeals of the members of the House from all parties, Mr. Krishna said that the Government had decided to revive the Hyderabad-Karnataka Area Development Board, the Malnad Area Development Board, and the Dryland Development Board.

He said that under the Kutira Jyothi programme, 2,000 new connections would be given at an estimated cost of Rs. 200 crores with the assistance of Rural Electrification Corporation.

Referring to crop insurance, Mr. Krishna said the Government had released Rs. 100 crores. The next instalment of Rs. 12.5 crores would be released after some time, he added.

He said the Government had sufficient funds at its disposal in each district to meet the drinking water requirement.

Referring to the demand for setting up a High Court Bench in North Karnataka, Mr. Krishna said he had already discussed the issue with the Chief Justice of the High Court. He said that the Karnataka State Finance Corporation would soon float special bonds in an effort to pay subsidy arrears to small-scale industries.

The Government had decided to allot 50,000 houses to anganwadi workers in the next two years, he added.

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