Karnataka

BJP sending MLAs, disgruntled elements to China in place of farmers: Manpade

Karwar: Maruti Manpade, member of the Karnataka Rajya Raitha Sangha has alleged that the State Government was sending Bharatiya Janata Party MLAs and disgruntled elements in the party to China instead of farmers.

Addressing presspersons in Dandeli on Sunday, he alleged that Chief Minister B.S. Yedyurappa has sent a team of party workers to China.

He demanded that the government include progressive farmers, office-bearers of the farmers’ organisations and the researchers in the team which would leave for China next month.

He criticised the government for giving false assurance of free electricity supply to farmers and thereby asking them to invest money for pumpsets and pipelines.

He said that the thermal projects such as Tadari, Nandikuru, and Chamalapura had not been implemented following opposition from some BJP leaders and pontiffs.

He said that it would take at lease five years to buy the electricity from Jharkhand.

Mr. Manpade said the State Government had failed to buy power from neighbouring States such as Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh.

In a belated effort, it was planning to buy the power from some private sector factories but these factories could supply only 300 MW of electricity, he said.

Mr. Manpade said that the employment guarantee scheme was a non-starter in Karnataka owing to the lack of political will of the BJP Government.

Mr. Manpade urged the government to appoint special officers from the gram panchayat level to Deputy Commissioner’s office in every district headquarters. He said the payment of the labourers should be increased to Rs. 110 a day from Rs. 82 a day.

Mr. Manpade said that Joida being the most backward taluk in the State was completely neglected by successive governments.

The regional balance in the administration is was big joke in case of Joida, he said.

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