The Hindu : Gowda for panel to oversee relief works

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Mar 03, 2004

Karnataka

Karnataka

Gowda for panel to oversee relief works

By Our Special Correspondent

SHIMOGA, MARCH 2. The former Prime Minister and President of the Janata Dal (S), H.D. Deve Gowda, today asked the Government to constitute an all-party advisory committee headed by the Chief Secretary to ensure the proper utilisation of the Central assistance to tackle the drought without giving scope for any complaints.

Reacting to the clarification sought by the State Government from the Election Commission on the implementation of relief works in view of the model code of conduct coming into effect, he told presspersons here that there was no need for the Government to discontinue the relief works as the Election Commission had not asked the Government to do so. "What is expected of the State Government is that the Central assistance involving a cash component of Rs. 280 crore and 4 lakh tonnes of foodgrains is spent strictly in adherence with the guidelines issued by the Election Commission," he said.

Mr. Deve Gowda said that going by the Government's "bad track record" in the implementation of relief works in the past four and a half years, people were apprehensive about the Central assistance being utilised in a transparent manner. He made it clear that no party wanted the relief works to be stopped. In addition to the advisory committee at the State level, he said similar committees headed by the respective Deputy Commissioners be formed in all the districts to supervise the implementation of drought relief works.

When asked to comment on the decision of the former Chief Minister, S. Bangarappa, to resign from the Congress, he said, "We should watch and see." Though he did not wish to enter into an argument on Mr. Bangarappa's reported decision to join the BJP, he would like to know how the BJP, which was considered a communal party so far, had become acceptable to him (Mr. Bangarappa).

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