BENGALURU: With rainfall continuing to play havoc in several parts of Karnataka, Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy has said additional funds will be provided, whenever necessary, to the affected districts. “We have `186 crore in the Disaster Relief Fund which is managed by the Deputy Commissioners of the respective districts. On Wednesday, an additional amount of `20 crore was sanctioned for Ballari, Belagavi, Hassan, Davangere, Mandya, Vijayapura, Udupi, Shivamogga and Dakshin Kannada districts for relief activity,” he said. During the period of heavy rainfall, losses recorded in different parts of the state amounted to `38 crore, he said. He was speaking after a meeting with top bureaucrats of the state on Thursday. He said the state did not face paucity of funds to take up relief works. “Heavy rainfall has also increased inflow into reservoirs,” he said.
RTE woes
Suspecting that DDPIs and BEOs were in cahoots with private schools, Kumaraswamy said he was collecting information on the behaviour of these officials. He said there were doubts about whether these officials were performing their duties well. “By colluding with private school managements, these officials have misused the provisions of RTE. I am also observing the behaviour of private educational institutions,” he said.
Kumaraswamy said the government was committed to improving the quality of education. “A major announcement in this regard will be made in the state budget. We are planning to address our shortcomings in government schools and develop infrastructure on par with private schools and colleges,” he said.
To a question regarding an alleged squabble between ministers D K Shivakumar and H D Revanna, Kumaraswamy dismissed the same as rumours. While reports had indicated that the fight between the two was due to issues pertaining to transfer of officials, the CM said that none of the officials have been transferred except for those who were deputed on election duty by the Election Commission of India.
NRN not to head Planning Board
Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy dismissed reports of Infosys co-founder N R Narayana Murthy heading the Planning Board for development of Bengaluru. Though the state government is ready to take Murthy’s advice on a wide range of issues, “no decision has been made to appoint him at government level as the head of the board,” the CM said. Murthy is a senior citizen and his age factor should be taken into account before considering him for such projects. “Appointing him to such bodies will only make it difficult for him,” he added.