The PMO is reported to have concluded that Karnataka was lagging behind in executing the Centre’s flagship programme compared to other states.

It is likely to hold a meeting with State officials to know the reason for it, a senior official in the PMO told Deccan Herald.

Neglected sectors
According to the latest status report prepared by the Planning Commission of  the year 2007-08,  Karnataka made mere 32 per cent progress in implementation of the scheme as on January 31 against the national average 60 per cent.

The worst hit sectors are irrigation, followed by rural housing where the progress is 5 per cent and 22 per cent respectively.

The Centrally sponsored scheme aiming to provide quality infrastructure to rural areas comprising roads, irrigation, housing, electrification, rural water supply and telephone was launched in 2005. It will be completed in 2009.

As per the report, in Karnataka, of the targeted 1.33 lakh houses under rural housing scheme which is also called as Indira Awas Yojana, only 30,000 houses have been constructed which is a progress of just 22.43 per cent. Interestingly, most of the completed houses were spill over from last fiscal.

Under the Accelerated Irrigation Benefit Programme, the progress was a mere 4.56 per cent.

The targets
Irrigation provided was to a mere 11,000 hectare as against a target of 2.41 lakh hectares.

In rural connectivity, against the targeted 2753.53 km, only 1618.14 km were completed. In drinking water supply against targeted 10,538 villages, only 4,203 villages were provided with potable water.

To accelerate the Bharat Nirman initiatives, the Centre has increased its allocation to Rs 31,280 crore in 2008-09 budgets against Rs 24,603 crore in 2007-08.

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh who is personally monitoring the progress of the scheme had also asked the states to put the scheme on the fast track in the chief ministers conference held a couple of months back.