The Hindu : Karnataka News : It is below my dignity to discuss BJP: Gowda

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Thursday, Jan 20, 2011
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Karnataka

Karnataka

It is below my dignity to discuss BJP: Gowda

Correspondent

Implementation of job scheme in the State flawed

Gowda regrets his failure to prevent
‘Operation Kamala'
Wants to strengthen his party
at the grass-roots level

CHIKMAGALUR: The former Prime Minister and Janata Dal (Secular) president, H.D. Deve Gowda, former said here on Tuesday that any discussion about the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Government in the State would lower his image.

Mr. Deve Gowda told presspersons that he had decided not to comment on any aspect of the functioning of the State Government.

He said it was for the people to choose the type of Government they wanted.

He said that it was for the first time in the country that heads of religious institutions had spoken in defence of a government.

He regretted that in spite of his best efforts, he could not prevent “Operation Kamala” after the panchayat polls.

He blamed the Centre and the State Government for the rise in prices of essential commodities.

He said the Centre and the State Government were blaming each other to mislead the people. He said he would undertake a tour of the State to strengthen the party at the grass-roots level by developing a rapport with leaders. He said his party had garnered more votes in the recent panchayat polls compared to the previous panchayat elections.

He presided over a review meeting on the progress in the implementation of Union Government schemes in Chikmagalur district. He expressed his displeasure over the way the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme had been implemented in the State.

He said the scheme was flawed, and there were irregularities and corruption in the implementation of this scheme. In some States, a single family was issued up to five job cards. C.T. Ravi, MLA, who raised the issue, wanted to know why the implementation of this scheme in sparsely populated N.R. Pura taluk was more than in Chikmagalur and Kadur taluks, which had a higher population density.

Ramanna, chief executive officer of the Chikmagalur Zilla Panchayat, said officials had been directed to tour all taluks.

He said they had been warned that disciplinary action would be initiated against them if they failed to achieve the target. He said it was difficult to implement the scheme in the rainy season. He said beneficiaries were reluctant to be included in this scheme as they were paid higher wages in other forms of employment.

D.V. Sadananda Gowda, MP, said Rs. 35,000 granted by the Centre under the Indira Aawas scheme was not sufficient to build a house. He said the State Government's proposal to augment this with another Rs. 35,000 under another scheme had not been accepted by the Centre.

Mr. Deve Gowda said the panchayat should adopt a resolution to increase the grant to Rs. 75,000 and submit it to the Centre. He said he and Mr. Sadananda Gowda would take up the issue in the Lok Sabha.

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