Karnataka wants 8 more dists under employment scheme

Karnataka has urged the Centre to include eight more districts, specifically those hit by drought, under the National Rural Employment Generation (NREG) scheme to control migration of rural masses to urban centres.

"We have written to the Centre on this matter and the response is positive. The clearance is likely to be given shortly by the Centre," Karnataka's rural development and panchayat raj minister C M Udasi told reporters here on Wednesday.

The districts recommended by the state for NREG include backward and drought prone Kolar, Gadag, Bijapur, Tumkur, Bellary, Chamarajanagar, Koppal and Haveri. At present, the NREG scheme has been implemented in five districts of Raichur, Bidar, Gulbarga, Chitradurga and Davanagere (with 67 lakh beneficiaries).

Since April, the Centre has sanctioned Rs 135 crore for the NREG scheme and Rs 71 crore has been utilised so far. Under the scheme, the government provides employment to the rural masses in projects like desilting of tanks and rural infrastructure work. Beneficiaries will be entitled to daily wages and food component.