<p>Karnataka government is drawing up a new project to recharge borewells in the backdrop of over-exploitation of ground water, drying up of 50,000 handpumps and "life-less" position of 12,000 tanks in the state, Rural Development and Panchayat Raj Minister H K Patil said today.<br /><br /></p>.<p>Patil during the question hour in the Legislative Assembly said 12,000 Zilla Panchayat tanks have become "life-less".<br /><br />Chief Minister Siddaramaiah had stated in his budget speech last week that action would be taken to rejuvenate them under Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee (MGNREGA) and other schemes.<br /><br />"50,000 handpumps have gone dry", Patil said, admitting to over-exploitation of ground-water reaching alarming proportions at many places. "We will draw up a new project to recharge borewell and implement it. Recharge pits will be built and tanks will be desilted".<br /><br />Under the National Rural Drinking Water programme, sustainability works like construction of check-dams and percolation tanks are being taken up on priority in over-exploited rural areas, the Minister said responding to question from N Cheluvarayaswamy (JDS).<br /><br />It has become inevitable to fill tanks with river water even in irrigated areas, Patil said. Karnataka government recently announced that a Rural Development Commissionerate would be created for effective implementation and efficient monitoring of MGNREGA. It had also announced that a separate Rural Water and Sanitation Department would be created for effective implementation and efficient monitoring of drinking water programmes implemented in rural areas.</p>
<p>Karnataka government is drawing up a new project to recharge borewells in the backdrop of over-exploitation of ground water, drying up of 50,000 handpumps and "life-less" position of 12,000 tanks in the state, Rural Development and Panchayat Raj Minister H K Patil said today.<br /><br /></p>.<p>Patil during the question hour in the Legislative Assembly said 12,000 Zilla Panchayat tanks have become "life-less".<br /><br />Chief Minister Siddaramaiah had stated in his budget speech last week that action would be taken to rejuvenate them under Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee (MGNREGA) and other schemes.<br /><br />"50,000 handpumps have gone dry", Patil said, admitting to over-exploitation of ground-water reaching alarming proportions at many places. "We will draw up a new project to recharge borewell and implement it. Recharge pits will be built and tanks will be desilted".<br /><br />Under the National Rural Drinking Water programme, sustainability works like construction of check-dams and percolation tanks are being taken up on priority in over-exploited rural areas, the Minister said responding to question from N Cheluvarayaswamy (JDS).<br /><br />It has become inevitable to fill tanks with river water even in irrigated areas, Patil said. Karnataka government recently announced that a Rural Development Commissionerate would be created for effective implementation and efficient monitoring of MGNREGA. It had also announced that a separate Rural Water and Sanitation Department would be created for effective implementation and efficient monitoring of drinking water programmes implemented in rural areas.</p>