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| Five-year plan mooted to stem regional imbalances |
| BS Reporter / Chennai/ Dharwad Sep 25, 2009, 00:17 IST |
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The high-powered committee to monitor implementation of the recommendations of Nanjundappa Committee report to correct regional imbalance wants a five-year plan to be drafted to complete the remaining works under the special development programme (SDP).
High Power Committee chairman and MLC Shashil Namoshi told reporters here on Wednesday that the Nanjundappa Committee had recommended an eight-year programme to develop 114 taluks in the state that have been identified as backward.
“Three years have lapsed since the government accepted the recommendations and started the work. However, due to certain reasons the development has been slow. To ensure completion of works within a time frame we are suggesting that a five-year plan should be framed. It will enable appropriation of funds and completion of works within the time limit stipulated by the Dr Nanjundappa Committee,” Namoshi said.
Nanjundappa Committee has identified 39 taluks as the most backward, 40 as more backward and 35 as backward. It has recommended that Rs 16,000 crore should be allocated for developing these taluks within eight years.
The committee has suggested that 40 per cent of the amount should be allocated to Gulbarga division which has 21 most-backward taluks while the share of Bangalore division was to be 25 per cent, Belgaum division 20 per cent and Mysore division 15 per cent.
The committee headed by Namoshi has been reviewing the progress of work in all the divisions of the state and so far it has visited 11 districts. Namoshi informed that during 2007-08 works valued at Rs 945.99 crore could be completed though the amount released was Rs 951 crore. The allocation for the year under SDP was Rs 1,571 crore.
He attributed the failure to complete the works to a delay in preparing the action plan and the code of conduct that was in force due to the Assembly elections.
He said, some works were dependent on funding from Nabard which did not come through.
In 2008-09 works worth Rs 21,739 crore were completed while the allocation was Rs 2,547.34 crore. Again, the election code of conduct and a delay in preparing the action plan were cited as reasons for the slow progress.
For 2009-’10, the high power committee has recommended starting of Kasturba Gandhi Baalika Vidyalaya in 39 most-backward taluks, drinking water, toilets and furniture for schools and modular training for labour in various skills. Starting Kittur Rani Channamma Residential schools for girls in all 114 taluks in a phased manner and rejuvenation of open wells are among the other recommendations. Namoshi said officials of various departments were trying to mix the works under SDP with other projects. To avoid this, the government has created a separate object code (133) in the budget for SDP, he said.
He was of the opinion that the works under SDP should be reviewed periodically during the Karnataka Development Programme’s review meetings and chief planning officer in zilla panchayat should be the nodal officer for SDP.
“During the review we found the works under the Social Welfare department were not up to mark. Similarly, there is a problem in proper implementation of rural road development works. The officers are citing technical problems like inadequate fund. We will sort it out,” Namoshi said.
The committee reviewed the progress of works under SDP in Dharwad district and visited several places.
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