The Hindu : Relief works: State to move Finance Commission

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Tuesday, Jun 10, 2003

Southern States

Southern States - Karnataka

Relief works: State to move Finance Commission

By Our Staff Reporter

Bangalore June 9. The Home Minister, Mallikarjun Kharge, has said that the State Government will make a representation to the 12th Finance Commission to include in the Plan allocation construction material such as cement, steel, and stone for taking up works under the drought relief programme.

Mr. Kharge, who is the Chairman of the Cabinet subcommittee on drought, was speaking to presspersons after a meeting with the Union Agriculture Minister, Rajnath Singh, where the latter reviewed the relief works taken up by the State Government. The Union Agriculture Secretary, R.C.A.Jain, will tour Kolar and Bangalore Rural districts to study the works undertaken there.

Mr. Kharge, who also holds the portfolio of Minor Irrigation, said there was no provision for construction material in the announcement of the Union Government on the drought relief works. Only earthwork could not be taken up everywhere as the wages were paid partly in the form of foodgrains.

Now, Karnataka was meeting the cost of construction material all by itself, he said. The State Government had sought Rs. 1,563 crore, but only Rs. 195 crore had been released. To a question whether the State had exaggerated its demand and, therefore, the Centre had not taken it seriously, Mr. Kharge said the State's demands were reasonable and even the Union Agriculture Minister was appreciative of it, but he was no position to extend more financial help due to paucity of funds.

Mr. Kharge said the State Government had undertaken 1,13,201 works in 159 drought-hit taluks.

It had distributed 6.65 lakh tonnes of foodgrains. On why utilisation certificates had not been sent to the Centre which would enable the State to get more foodgrains, Mr. Kharge said works were in progress in remote villages and it took time for information to reach the headquarters. The Union minister knew of the difficulties, he said.

The State Government had requested him to provide an additional three lakh tonnes of foodgrains for June, July, and August.

Mr. Kharge said the Chief Minister, S.M.Krishna, might have asked the Deputy Prime Minister, L.K.Advani, who is also Chairman of the task force on drought relief measures, to make an ad hoc arrangement for sending additional foodgrains, till he returned from his foreign tour.

The State Government had spent around Rs. 400 crore towards the cash component. Besides, it had spent money by taking up works departmentally.

Mr. Singh was told that unlike other States Karnataka had utilised the foodgrains and money judiciously, despite shortage of rakes and the lorry strike. It did not also object when there was discrimination against it, he said.

Mr. Kharge said that Mr. Singh had agreed to arrange more rakes for transporting fodder from Haryana and Punjab.

To a question on the irregularities in the relief works as alleged by the Union Minister for Urban Development and Poverty Alleviation, H.N.Ananth Kumar, he said that Mr. Singh had appreciated the State Government's efforts and he did not want to join issue with Mr. Kumar.

The Home Minister said he had convened a meeting of the Cabinet subcommittee on Tuesday to discuss the works to be taken up.

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Relief works: State to move Finance Commission