BENGALURU: To tackle drought and prevent distress migration, Rural Development and Panchayat Raj (RDPR) Minister Eshwar Khandre on Friday urged officials to make use of vacant government land lying unused. He said thousands of acres of acquired land across the State remain idle and suggested using it temporarily to grow green fodder under community works. He also called for borewell recharge measures to improve groundwater and ensure fodder availability for livestock.
Khandre said such land could be temporarily utilised under community works to cultivate green fodder. “Where government land is unavailable, private land could be leased for fodder cultivation,” he said.
Chairing a meeting with the Chief Secretary and other senior officials from the RDPR Department, Khandre directed Zilla Panchayat Chief Executive Officers to ensure that people in rural Karnataka are employed under VB-GRAM-G to prevent distress migration caused by deficient rainfall.
He said the Centre has allocated Rs 5,709 crore for the nine months from July 1, 2026, to March 31, 2027, while the State will contribute Rs 3,806 crore, taking the total outlay to Rs 9,515 crore. He instructed officials to generate employment for five lakh people every month under the scheme.
The minister asked officials to take up rural infrastructure works on a large scale, create community assets, and ensure that no eligible person is denied work. Khandre warned that strict action would be taken against officials involved in irregularities such as fake bills, poor-quality work or misuse of funds. He said Taluk Executive Officers and Panchayat Development Officers would be held accountable.
The minister also instructed officials to utilise the scheme for repairing dilapidated school buildings and constructing new classrooms and compound walls in coordination with the Education Department. He asked CEOs to issue job cards to eligible people whose cards had been cancelled and to prioritise employment for persons with disabilities, women, and people from Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and other economically weaker sections.