Karnataka

Bhagyalakshmi funds safe in LIC: Yeddyurappa

DAVANGERE: Chief Minister B.S. Yeddyurappa has ridiculed the allegations of the former Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy that he had received crores of rupees as “kickbacks” for depositing funds of the Bhagyalakshmi scheme in an insurance company and said that the funds had in fact been deposited in the Life Insurance Corporation (LIC), a Central Government agency.

The Government will continue to deposit the funds in the LIC where there is no room for suspecting any kickback, he said.

“I have decided not to take cognisance of any allegation made by Mr. Kumaraswamy and others as long as I am honest and involved in uplifting the poor,” he said.

Inaugurating the “Janaspandana” programme at Honnali here on Friday, Mr. Yeddyurappa warned officials of stern action if they showed laxity in implementing government schemes or indulged in corruption.

The Chief Minister noted that he had suspended a village accountant on Friday for demanding Rs. 1,000 from a beneficiary of the Bhagyalakshmi scheme. The Government would concentrate on comprehensive rural development from next year. Roads would be constructed, hospitals upgraded and industries would be set up in rural areas, he said.

Over 17 lakh farmers had been given free power for their irrigation pump (IP) sets, he said. The Government had decided to install meters to the IP sets to ensure that the free power given to farmers was not misused by others.

The Chief Minister said that he had decided to award the district which would excel in implementing the janaspandana programme from next year.

Deputy commissioner and other officials who would actively involve themselves in implementing the programme would be invited to Bangalore and felicitated, he said.

He lauded the district administration for disposing of 35,000 applications of the total 55,000 received during 15 janaspandana programmes.

Minister for Agriculture and Davangere district in-charge S.A. Ravindranath, Davangere MP Siddeshwar and Honnali MLA Renukacharya were those who were present.

Talking to presspersons, Mr. Yeddyurappa criticised Union Minister of State for Labour Oscar Fernandes for repeatedly raking up the issue of attacks on churches and threatening imposition of President’s Rule in the State.

No none could bring down a government elected by over six crore people, the Chief Minister said and added that he knew the motives behind such statements.

He said that the issue of attacks on churches was over and the Government had taken all steps to provide protection to churches and Christian prayer halls.

There was no need for Mr. Fernandes to comment on the issue and instigate people, he said. Mr. Yeddyurappa said that he would soon write to the Prime Minister urging him to restrain Mr. Fernandes from indulging in “cheap political gimmicks”.

When his attention was drawn to the issue of severe power crisis in the State, he said that the Government was planning to buy additional power from other States to meet the demand. He noted that 500 MW of power was expected to be generated from the thermal plant in Bellary.

Once the repairs at the thermal plant were completed, it would generate 500 MW of power, which would go a long way in alleviating the problem, he said and added that the State Government was balancing the demand and supply of power.

Mr. Yeddyurappa said that he would hold a meeting with the officials concerned and initiate steps to improve the power situation and withdraw loadshedding.

When his attention was drawn to the arrest of suspected terrorists in Mangalore, Mr. Yeddyurappa said that he would soon hold a meeting with senior police officials on the issue.

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