Karnataka did not implement Indira Awas Yojana

Centre sanctions 50,000 additional houses to state this year

Union Minister for Rural Development Jairam Ramesh on Friday said, implementation of the Indira Awas Yojana, a housing scheme, was very poor in the state during the BJP regime.

Implementation of the Indira Awas Yojana is very bad in the state. Out of the 30 districts, 13 districts have not closed their last years account till now. Now, the chief minister has given a political direction for implementation of the scheme, he said.

He noted that grants were not released to 13 districts in the state. The process of rectification is on and I hope in next couple of days things will be sorted out, he said.

The Centre has sanctioned 87,816 houses under the Indira Awas Yojana during the ongoing fiscal year. Based on the states request, it has provided in-principle sanction for another 50,000 houses to vulnerable sections of the people such as Adivasis, destitutes, widows, tribal people and the poor, Ramesh added.

On upgrading 2,245 km rural roads in Karnataka, Ramesh said his ministry would clear the proposals to be sent by the state by August-end and the work will commence soon after the monsoons.

Chief minister Siddaramaiah said, 1,103 habitations in the state have remained unconnected by roads after a review meeting with Jairam Ramesh here.

The previous BJP government claimed that roads connected all these villages and habitations in the state. Our records show that all habitations in the state are connected. But the state government said, 1,103 habitations remained unconnected, Ramesh told reporters.

On Siddaramaiahs suggestion to treat an area with a population of 250 as the habitation in Western Ghats areas, Ramesh said he would look into the issue.

Presently, the Centre recognises an area with 250 populations as habitation only in hilly states and Karnataka is not the hilly state. I will go back and have to take on board the Planning Commission and the Finance Ministry to consider the area with 250 populations as habitation in Karnataka, Ramesh said.

The BJP government had failed to get funds from the Centre under the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY) on the grounds, no habitation in the state remained unconnected, he said.

Ramesh said a technical team of the ministry would be sent to the state to study whether 1,103 habitations were connected or not. A decision to sanction funds would be taken based on the report of the team.

Ramesh said, the state government was expected to submit a proposal on village roads upgrade by July and his ministry would clear by August. The cost of the road per km was Rs 40 lakh. The Centre had not sanctioned funds under the PMGSY for the last two years.