BELAGAVI: Revenue Minister Kagodu Thimmappa has directed Deputy Commissioners and revenue officials to prepare action plans in drought-hit taluks to utilise funds and carry out relief works. He said the government would work towards providing drinking water, fodder and create employment to check migration of people from rural areas.
Replying to a discussion on drought in the Assembly on Thursday, he said payment of wages under the National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme should be made within 10 days. He said the government will accept oppositon suggestions to find a permanent solution like implementing multi-village schemes. Deputy Commissioners have `315 crore in their personal deposit accounts that would enable them to take up relief works.
As he announced that the funds have been released to provide drinking water through tankers in drought-affected taluks and input subsidy cleared to a majority of farmers, Opposition leader Jagadish Shettar charged that the reply lacked focus or conviction to tackle drought.
He cornered Kagodu for giving a reply based on figures from February to June when he was supposed to give details on the situation of the past three months.
He disputed Kagodu’s claim and charged that no cow shelters have been opened in the state. He also asked for details about the funds released after declaring 139 taluks as drought-affected.