BANGALORE: The statements of two Janata Dal (S) Ministers over the failure to provide power connections to irrigation pumpsets sunk under the Ganga Kalyan scheme for the benefit of poor farmers resulted in noisy scenes in the Assembly on Thursday.

The two Ministers were Balachandra Jarkiholi (Social Welfare) and H.D. Revanna (Public Works and Energy).

Mr. Jarkhiholi said his department would implement the programme provided the Finance Department released the required Rs. 183 crore. Mr Revanna maintained that his department could not give power connections to pumpsets if funds were not deposited by the Social Welfare Department. These views of the Ministers led to protests from the Opposition.

Earlier, replying to B. Shivaram (Congress), Mr Jarkiholi said there were 14,000 such pumpsets which needed to be energised in the State, and only Rs 9.39 crore had been set aside against the required Rs. 183 crore.

Mr. Revanna's statement that the Energy Department must get line-laying cost to ensure drawing of power lines in distant and remote areas, evoked sharp protests from the Congress, Janata Dal (U) and CPI (M) members.

K. Annadani and Krishna Murthy of JD (S) also joined the Opposition in attacking the Government for failure to energise the pumpsets and alleged that corruption was rampant in the Social Welfare Department.

J.C. Madhuswamy (JD-U), G. V. Srirama Reddy (CPI-M), Siddaramaiah and Ramesh Kumar (both Congress) criticised the Ministers for their blame game and sought a specific reply from the Government.

Printer friendly page  
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail