BANGALORE: Chief Minister D V Sadananda Gowda has announced `30 lakh to each Assembly segment to drill new borewells to meet the drinking water demand.
Gowda’s assurance came after the Congress staged a walk out in the Assembly protesting government’s inadequate measures to tackle the prevailing drought in most parts of the state.
Replying to a debate on the issue, Gowda stated that “immediate and sufficient” measures were taken by his government to tackle the drought. So far, the government had released `321.31 crore to take up drought relief works and if necessary more funds will be released, he added.
In order to help farmers suffering crop loss due to the drought, the state government has decided to waive off land revenue in 24 taluks besides converting short term loans into medium and long term loans, he said.
Stating that priority had been given to provide drinking water, Gowda informed the house that as many as 292 villages were being supplied with drinking water through tankers.
About 2,480 new borewells were drilled across the state besides rejuvenating thousands of old borewells, he added.
‘CM’s Claim Far From Truth’
This claim was, however, met with objection from the Opposition bench.
“Whatever the CM has said is untrue,” Opposition Leader Siddaramaiah charged before staging a walkout.
Report Heat Singes Council, Assembly
BANGALORE: Terming the State Minority Commission report on the alleged encroachments on Wakf properties “politically motivated and malicious”, Congress and JD(S) members in both the Houses of the legislature on Tuesday demanded a CBI enquiry into the entire episode to unearth truth.
The issue was raised by BJP members C T Ravi in the Assembly and G Madhusudhan in the Council during the Zero Hour.
CM D V Sadananda Gowda said the government had directed officials to study the report and give their opinion, after which the Cabinet would discuss it.
“Nobody’s image is going to be tarnished but culprits will not be spared. I will discuss with my colleagues the issue of placing the report on the floor of the House.”
Earlier, the Congress and JD(S) members, who raised the issue in the Assembly, were opined that the commission had exceeded its mandate and its chairman had no business to reveal the names of political leaders allegedly involved in the scam without giving them an opportunity to explain their versions.