Relocation work will gain pace soon: CM

Lands will be acquired by March next for shifting 226 villages

 
 ‘The Opposition will be taken into confidence while shifting people from these villages,’ said Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa. He was speaking after laying the foundation stone for the permanent shifting of Kongwad village in Navalgund taluk on Monday. The State government will discuss the issue at an all-party meeting and initiate the project soon, he added.

All the villages will be developed as model villages with basic facilities, he declared.
He said that the State government had acquired 20 acres of  land for shifting Kongwad village, and as many as 419 houses will be constructed on it. Under this plan, 261 houses will be constructed during the first phase on a site measuring 30X50 sq ft. Dharmasthala Rural Development and Self-Employment Training has come forward to build houses in this area. Each house would be built at a cost of Rs one lakh. 

He said that more than 12 lakh houses were damaged in the unprecedented rains that lashed the North Karnataka region, recently. Loss due to collapse or damage of houses has been estimated at Rs  2,000 crore. He said as floods had wreaked havoc, large sums were required for rehabilitation of the people. He would be leading a delegation led to meeting Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Tuesday to seek Rs 6,000 crore for relief works.

He stated that till date the State government has allotted Rs 600 crore to take up flood relief works.

Responding to people’s grievances Yeddyurappa said, the State government is contemplating to increase the  compensation amount, to those whose houses have been damaged, to Rs 50,000.

Chief minister said that about Rs 100 crore is required to provide permanent solution to Benni Halla. Speaking on the occasion Legislative Assembly Speaker Jagadish Shettar said, the State government has positively responded to the problems of the displaced.

Padayatra for funds

 "I am even ready to go before industrialists, businessmen, mutts and other institutions and beg for funds for the flood-hit, after returning from New Delhi,” said Yeddyurappa.