The Hindu : Karnataka / Bangalore News : `No major drinking water scheme for rural areas'

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, Sep 04, 2006

Karnataka

Karnataka - Bangalore

`No major drinking water scheme for rural areas'

Staff Reporter

If panchayats use their grants carefully, the percentage of Central grants could be increased from 49 to 70, says Udasi

C.M. Udasi

Bangalore: Minister for Rural Development and Panchayati Raj C.M. Udasi said on Sunday that while there were schemes to provide water to urban areas from the Cauvery and the Malaprabha, rural areas were deprived of them.

Workshop

Addressing 700 women members of panchayats at the inauguration of "Mahila Samavesha", a workshop organised here as part of the "Bharat Nirman" public information campaign organised by the Press Information Bureau, the Minister said, "As members of panchayat raj institutions, you can make a difference in providing safe drinking water to villages.

`Take loan for education'

Women could take loans for their children's education instead of weddings. If panchayats used their grants carefully, then the percentage of grants by the Union Government could be increased from 49 to 70 per cent, the Minister said.

Devaki Jain, social activist, said information on welfare schemes should be given to the elected representatives. Only then the benefits of programmes envisaged by the Planning Commission would reach the people.

She said that tours to scientific institutions in the State should be held for members of panchayat raj institutions. The members could learn about new inventions and discoveries made by such institutions and reach them to people in rural areas of the State, she added.

Schools

C. Somashekar, Chief Executive Officer of the Bangalore Urban Zilla Panchayat, said that 50 schools at a cost of 4.25 lakh each would be constructed.

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