Karnataka govt to build 10,000 playgrounds in rural areas

The Karnataka government will start a programme to build 10,000 playgrounds in rural areas on November 14, Children's Day, State Rural Development and Panchayat Raj Minister H K Patil said today.
The project, under which two playgrounds will be built in each Panchayat limit, will be taken up with the cooperation of the Departments of Revenue, Education and Sports, he told reporters here and asked youth organisations at village levels to take interest in spearheading the initiative.
The minister also announced the start of "Rajiv Gandhi Chaitanya Yojane" to provide skill training, loan, self-employment and placement opportunities for two lakh rural unemployed youth.

The government, Patil said, has proposed upgradation of 2450 km of road under "Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojane-2", adding, Union Rural Development Minister Jairam Ramesh has responded positively to the initiative and the Central government clearance is expected within a week.
The minister said the government intends to use new technology such as those relating to jute, coir, cell-filled concrete, cold-mix and waste plastic in building of roads which would bring down the cost of such works.
He said the Centre has just released another Rs 436 crore to the state under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS).

The state government planned to construct six lakh household toilets in rural areas in 2013-14 under "Nirmal Bharat Abhiyan", of which 1.78 lakh had already been built.
State officials said a rural development commissionerate would be created for effective implementation and efficient monitoring of the MGNREGS.
They said Rural Development and Panchayat Raj university is also proposed to be established to focus on rural development and panchayat raj and to promote suitable skills and competence in this area.