Implement housing schemes on time: Rai

Taking a dig at the officials for dilly dallying the implementation of housing schemes for poor and delay in distribution of sites to landless people, District-in-Charge Minister B Ramanath Rai directed the officials to implement the schemes on time by fixing deadlines.

Chairing the district review meeting at the Deputy Commissioner’s office on Saturday, he said that no new houses were sanctioned to the district under Basava Vasati Yojane during last three years and there has been a delay in the construction of houses under Vajapayee housing scheme. Priority should be given for the construction of houses to poor and provide sites to siteless.

“If there is shortage of revenue land for the house construction, Kumki land can be acquired for the purpose. In several villages in the district, landlords have illegally fenced hundreds of acres of Kumki land, which can be acquired for building houses for the poor or the department can purchase private land to build houses,” he said and directed the officials to prepare a list of beneficiaries of housing schemes every month and achieve the target.

Rice in godowns

Replying to a query on the Food and Civil Supplies Department’s preparedness to implement the State government’s scheme of supplying rice for Re 1 per kg to BPL families, Department Deputy Director Sharanabasappa said the district would require 7,000 tonnes of rice per month to implement the scheme and the district has already received  the required quantity of rice from the Food Corporation of India. “Though the department godowns in Dakshina Kannada have the capacity to store 4,000 tonnes of rice, we have now made arrangements to increase the capacity of godowns to store 7,000 tonnes of rice,” he said.

On the renewal of ration cards, the deputy director said the renewal process has already begun. The department has received 6,900 renewal applications, of which 2,600 applications are from BPL card holders. Ration cards will be renewed on priority basis wherein, BPL card holders applications will be considered first. With the upgraded software, the renewed applications can be distributed within 10 days. Dakshina Kannada has been selected for implementing the project on pilot basis, he said.

Provide compensation

Reviewing the work on Thumbe dam, the Minister asked the officials to provide proper compensation to the families whose lands will be submerged due to the project. Furnishing details, the executive engineer from the Mangalore City Corporation said that initial survey has estimated the land to be submerged due to the project at 216 acres, of which, 168 acres is private land and 48 acres is government land. But according to the re-survey carried out, 358 acres of land in six villages will be submerged.

The Minister also directed the officials from National Highway Authority of India, PMGSY and KRDCL to complete the road projects without any delay. NHAI Project Director Sriram Mishra said that a proposal will be submitted to the government on laying four lane from Mangalore to Moodbidri on EPC (Engineering, Procurement and Construction) mode.

Emphasising on the need to maintain law and order in the backdrop of moral policing and attacks on minorities, Rai warned senior police officials of holding them responsible for any unlawful activities reported in the district. 

Fisheries and Sports and Youth Service Minister Abhayachandra Jain, MP Nalin Kumar Kateel, District-in-Charge Secretary Bharat Lal Meena, district MLAs and others were present.