The Hindu 10.11.2009
Rs. 10 cr. to be released for Kodagu district
Staff Correspondent
| Yeddyurappa promised special package of Rs. 25 crore |
The funds have been released to the Department of Rural Development and Panchayat Raj
The Kodagu Zilla Panchayat will be provided with the released funds shortly
Madikeri: The State Finance Department has given the nod for release of Rs. 10.71 crore to Kodagu district, which is part of the Rs. 25-crore special economic package announced by Chief Minister B.S. Yeddyurappa, according to sources.
The funds would be released to the Kodagu Zilla Panchayat for taking up development of roads and bridges, the source at the zilla panchayat office told The Hindu on Monday. The State Government had already released a sum of Rs. 5 crore to the Kodagu zilla panchayat earlier under the package. Of the Rs. 25 crore, the Panchayat Raj engineering wing would be provided with Rs. 15.71 crore, Public Works Department would be given Rs. 8.33 crore, Madikeri City Municipal Council Rs. 84 lakh and the Karnataka Land Army Corporation Rs. 12 lakh.
Of the Rs. 15.71 crore grant to the Panchayat Raj engineering wing, action plan has been prepared to take up 148 works in Madikeri taluk involving a sum of Rs. 5.39 crore.
As many as 111 works at a cost of Rs. 5.32 crore would be taken up in Virajpet taluk, and 179 works at a cost of Rs. 5 crore would be taken up in Somwarpet taluk. Some of the works had already been completed with the Rs. 5 crore grant given earlier, the source added.
The action plan for the Rs. 5 crore grant released earlier was approved by the State Government in November last year with the instructions that most urgent works should be given priority. However, the Rs. 10.71 crore now okayed to the zilla panchayat had been released to the Rural Development and Panchayat Raj (RDPR) Department and is expected to reach Kodagu zilla panchayat soon.
Under other roads and bridges development head, the zilla panchayat has received a sum of Rs. 1.15 crore initially this year and another additional Rs. 45 lakh. Action plan has been prepared and tendering process to award the works were on, said the source.
The RDPR had already approved the action plan, the source added. A sum of Rs. 1.83 crore was received last year under the same grant, of which only Rs. 92 lakh was released. The zilla panchayat had communicated to the RDPR seeking the balance of Rs. 91 lakh to be released.
Drinking water
The zilla panchayat had received a grant of Rs. 4.43 crore this year to take up drinking water projects in the entire district. Grants were received both from the Centre and the State Government, the source added. Of this, the zilla panchayat had received Rs. 1.95 crore and several water project works had commenced in the district. Rest of the funds are expected to be released in phases.
