Karnataka mulls IT SEZ in Belgaum

The Karnataka government is considering inclusion of Belgaum in the Information Technology Special Economic Zone ( IT SEZ).

Deputy chief minister B S Yediyurappa who was here to lay the foundation stone for the administrative block of the zilla panchayat on Sunday said it was proposed to establish an IT park in Belgaum.

He said steps were being taken to modernise the Belgaum airport and step up developmental works in the district.

Rural development and panchayat raj minister C M Udasi announced that the government would introduce a new mechanism on the lines of Lok Ayukta to check corruption in the rural development and panchayat raj department.

He clarified that the new amendment to the RDPR Act was not aimed at curbing the powers of zilla panchayats and efforts were being made to ensure transparency in the works as 49 per cent of the funds had to be spent by the gram panchayats for development.

"There are certain anomalies in the present system and these are being corrected to avoid misuse and it should not be taken as curbing the powers of ZPs" Udasi asserted.

The minister also launched the "Namma Bhoomi, Namma Tota' (Our land, our garden) schemes for landless agriculture labourers. He handed over the papers of plots allotted to them.