Karnataka Has Rs 341 Cr To Ensure Drinking Water Supply: Minister
The minister said officials have been instructed to ensure uninterrupted drinking water supply in Gram Panchayat areas where traditional water sources had dried up.
Bengaluru: Karnataka Minister Eshwar Khandre on Monday said that the state has Rs 341 crore available to ensure drinking water supply and there is no shortage of funds to meet this requirement, amid the drought situation.
He also directed officials to drill new borewells only in cases of absolute necessity.
Speaking to reporters, Khandre said Rs 117 crore had already been released in advance for rural drinking water supply, and the chief minister had also announced Rs 1 crore for each Assembly constituency to support drinking water projects, ensuring adequate financial resources.
The minister said officials have been instructed to ensure uninterrupted drinking water supply in Gram Panchayat areas where traditional water sources had dried up.
"They have been directed to identify alternative water sources, hire private borewells or open wells wherever necessary, conduct water quality tests and supply drinking water through tankers," he added.
Khandre, who holds Rural Development and Panchayat Raj portfolios, said officials should be sensitive to the hardship faced by people and discharge their responsibilities accordingly.
Directing officials to drill new borewells only in cases of absolute necessity, he said, "Wherever new borewells are drilled, pump sets should be installed and electricity connections provided to ensure uninterrupted water supply."
Asserting that there is no need for people to migrate amid drought situation, as there is work for hands willing to work, the minister said, there is no shortage of funds under the new rural employment guarantee scheme, VB G RAM G, which replaced MGNREGA, with Rs 2,900 crore allocated for the first quarter.
He said the Centre has released Rs 1,700 crore and the state government has contributed Rs 1,200 crore, maintaining the 60:40 funding ratio.
"The allocation is sufficient to provide employment to around five lakh rural workers every month and generate 1.5 crore person-days of employment during the quarter," he added.
Khandre said the scheme would facilitate both individual and community works, including the construction of farm ponds, drip irrigation facilities, development of tanks and canals, and construction of check dams.
He said clear instructions have been issued to Chief Executive Officers of Zilla Panchayats and village-level officials to provide employment locally to every person seeking work under the scheme, eliminating the need for rural residents to migrate in search of livelihood.
