Speaker's criticism: Will activate administration, Minister

In the backdrop of Karnataka Assembly Speaker Kagodu Thimappa's adverse remarks against the Siddaramaiah Government, a senior Minister today said all steps were being taken to activate the administration by giving shape to various schemes.
The government would take steps to rectify its alleged "inactiveness" referred to by the Speaker, Minister for Rural Development and Panchayat Raj H K Patil told reporters here. "If the Speaker identifies any specific area where the work has been tardy, we will rectify it immediately," he said.
Even if the Speaker brings something to his notice about the problems facing Rural Development and Panchayat Raj, he would work it out immediately, Patil said.

In comments that embarrassed the Siddaramaiah-led Congress government, Thimmappa had two days ago expressed disappointment at the administration in the state and said there is no difference between the present and previous (BJP) government.
About Congress's chances in today's by-elections to three Assembly seats in Karnataka, Patil said the party was confident of winning at least two seats - Chikodi-Sadalga and Bellary.
When asked if the Congress was not confident of winning Shikaripura seat, a bastion of former Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa who has fielded his son B Y Raghavendra, Patil said, "I haven't campaigned there and wouldn't talk about the outcome there."

The central government has sanctioned grants-in-aids amounting to over Rs 616 crore to the state for implementation of the MGNREGA for the financial year 2014-15, he said.