GULBARGA: AIPJD MLA B.R. Patil on Sunday said that the State was on the verge of losing its share in the Rural Development Infrastructure Fund (RIDF) 12th series provided by the NABARD for taking up various development works owing to its failure to appoint a Cabinet sub-committee to approve proposals for projects and submit them to the NABARD for approval.

Addressing a press conference here, Mr. Patil said that so far the State Government had not submitted any proposal to the NABARD seeking funds under the RIDF-12.

Procedure

The normal procedure followed by the Government to get the funds under the RIDF from the NABARD was to first allocate the required funds in the State Budget and later collect proposals of various projects from departments concerned. Then they would be placed before the Cabinet sub-committee headed by a senior Minister for appraisal and approval.

Later, these proposals are submitted to the NABARD, which give its formal approval for taking up the submitted projects.

He said that the Government should take up the projects and spend its own money and later get the reimbursement from the NABARD as a soft long-term loan.

However, this year, according to Mr. Patil, the State Government had failed to appoint the Cabinet sub-committee to approve the projects under the RIDF-12.

Assistance of Rs. 650 crore

Hence the State was likely to lose more than Rs. 650 crore as assistance from NABARD under RIDF-12, he said.

He said that according to information, line departments had already submitted the proposals for works to be taken up in all Assembly constituencies, including road works and minor irrigation works, using the assistance provided by the NABARD under RIDF-12. However, no decision could be taken on these projects owing to the absence of Cabinet sub-committee. Apart from this, Mr. Patil claimed that the State Government had also not finalised proposals for road works to be taken up under the Central Road Fund (CRF).

He said that each of the 224 Assembly constituencies in the State should get at least Rs. 1 crore every year under the CRF and till the end of May, no proposal was finalised under the CRF.

Last year, the Union Government provided Rs. 400 crore under CRF to the State and Rs. 200 crore for the development and maintenance of the National Highways.

He said the officials had prepared a proposal for Rs. 600 crore under the CRF from the Centre this year, but Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy, who is also holding the Public Works Department portfolio, had not taken any decision on finalising these proposals thereby depriving the State of its due share from the Centre.

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