MANGALURU: Amid corruption allegations levelled by Congress MLA Ashok Kumar Rai against officials of the Karnataka Rural Infrastructure Development Limited (KRIDL), Health and Family Welfare Minister U.T. Khader on Wednesday said he had consciously avoided entrusting developmental works to the agency in his constituency, citing a lack of accountability.
Responding to Rai's allegations, Khader said that while rain damage restoration works in other Assembly constituencies of Dakshina Kannada were assigned to KRIDL, he had directed that no such works be entrusted to the agency in his constituency.
"I had even given it in writing that no work should be delegated to KRIDL because they cannot be held accountable," Khader told reporters.
He said departments such as the PWD and the RDPR Department follow the tendering process for public works, unlike KRIDL. "Only in my constituency were rain damage works entrusted to the PWD, while the other MLAs in the district assigned them to KRIDL," he said.
Khader also said KRIDL was handling projects from multiple departments, including the Minority Welfare and Social Welfare departments, and had become overstretched. "They are overburdened but do not have adequate staff," he said.
Asked about Rai's allegations, Khader said he appreciated the MLA for bringing the matter to light but maintained that Rai's intention was not to tarnish the image of ministers. Referring to Rai being a first-time legislator, Khader remarked that "experience brings maturity in deciding what to say and what not to say."
Rayareddy's remarks 'misinterpreted'
Defending Higher Education Minister Basavaraj Rayareddy over his recent speech in Koppal, Khader said the minister's remarks had been selectively edited and circulated on social media to mislead the public. "Those who truly love the country and the state will not indulge in such mischief," he said.
EC should facilitate NRI voter corrections
Khader urged the Election Commission to evolve a mechanism that would enable Non-Resident Indians (NRIs) to correct errors in electoral rolls without having to travel to India, saying the current system posed practical difficulties.
