Karnataka gets 43.8% rise in allocation under MNREGS for FY15

State govt has also achieved 100% of target in implementation of Electronic Fund Management System in country

The Central government has sanctioned Rs 3,155 crore to the Karnataka government under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme for 2014-15, an increase of 43.8% over the previous year.

Last year, the government spent Rs 2,095.22 crore and generated 71.9 million mandays of works and achieved 104% of the target, which is the first in the country, said H K Patil, minister for rural development and Panchayat Raj.

The state government has also achieved 100% of the target in the implementation of Electronic Fund Management System in the country, he said.

Patil said the Karnataka government has started supplying drinking water through tankers to 300 villages that are facing shortage. The government has earmarked Rs 240 crore for drinking water schemes under the National Rural Drinking Water Supply Scheme.

Talking to reporters, here today, he said based on the local needs of villages, the government has initiated works to dig bore wells and revive the old bore wells that have gone dry. The district administrations have been told to take all necessary measures to ensure adequate water supply by digging new bore wells, he said.

The chief minister Siddaramaiah recently directed the finance department to release an additional Rs 100 crore for this purpose, which will be credited into the accounts of district administrations. Apart from this, the government is also taking measures to release another Rs 150 crore, he said adding that the total budget for drinking water schemes will touch Rs 490 crore.

During 2013-14, the government spent Rs 1,744 crore under the National Rural Drinking Water Supply Scheme. This year also, similar amount of funds will be spent to avoid shortage of water for villages, he said.