JOVIAL MOOD: Minister for Rural Development and Panchayati Raj C.M. Udasi, chairman the Institute of Social Sciences U.R. Ananthamurthy and Sathya, communication consultant, Water and Sanitation Cell, Department of Rural Development and Panchayati Ra j, at a seminar to celebrate `Women's Political Empowerment Day,' in Bangalore on Thursday. — Photo: K. Gopinathan

Bangalore: Minister for Rural Development and Panchayati Raj C.M. Udasi has said that steps are being taken to weed out corruption in panchayats, and panchayat members should make good use of the funds allocated.

Speaking at a seminar to celebrate "Women's Political Empowerment Day" organised by the Institute of Social Sciences, on the theme "Panchayats, Water and Sanitation" here on Thursday, Mr. Udasi said the Government had not reduced grants to panchayats, and panchayat members should not be misled by officials.

Allocation

Giving an overview of the various schemes of the State Government for rural development, Mr. Udasi pointed out that for 2006-07 funds to the tune of Rs.750 crore had been allocated for the "Jala Nirmala" project to provide clean drinking water to villages in Bidar, Belgaum, Dharwad, Haveri, Gadag, Bijapur, Bagalkot, Gulbarga, Uttara Kannada, Koppal and Raichur districts. The Government had also allocated Rs. 35 crore for the "Swarna Jala" programme to take up rainwater harvesting in 23,683 rural schools.

Under the "Swacha Grama" project, 1,000 villages in Karnataka had been allocated Rs. 20 lakh per village to maintain cleanliness, and through the "Sampoorna Nairmalya Andolana" 2,054 toilets in schools and 2,046 community toilets were being provided grants of Rs. 323.82 crore from 2005-2009, he added.The Government was in the process of providing clean drinking water and taking up tank rejuvenation, and providing watersheds and hand pumps to 56,682 villages in Karnataka, Mr. Udasi said.

U.R. Ananthamurthy, chairman of the Institute of Social Sciences, and and Sathya, communication consultant, Water and Sanitation Cell, Department of Rural Development and Panchayati Raj, were present.

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