Udupi gets 18,318 applications seeking title deeds: Sorake

773 title deeds have already been given to beneficiaries

Urban Development Minister Vinay Kumar Sorake has said that the district has received as many as 18,318 applications under Section 94C of Land Reforms Act and measures would be taken to ensure title deeds to the applicants after verification.

Speaking to media persons after taking part in the KDP meet, here on Friday, the minister said that as many as 773 title deeds are already given to the beneficiaries.
The Section 94CC of Land Reforms Act has also been approved in both the houses to ensure the title deeds to the people in Urban areas. The State government has increased the amount from Rs 450 to Rs 3,000 under Rajiv Gandhi Vasati Nigam for the site layout. As many as Rs 6.43 lakh has been released.

Ration card imbroglio
The minister added that biometric problems and the linking of EPIC card and Aadhar card to the ration cards is creating hindrances in ensuring ration to all ration card holders. “I had raised the issue with the Food and Civil Supplies Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao and the Commissioner Harsh Gupta to make it mandatory only in the case of EPIC card, but not Aadhar card,” he said.

Sorake said that a coordination committee would be formed comprising Deputy Commissioner, Food department officials, panchayath, revenue officials and Tahsildar to look into the issue. As many as 1,200 ration cards were rejected because of the mandatory rule.

Pointing out the progress in the ongoing works of Varahi irrigation project, the minister said that the water from right canal would be released by December end. Measures would be taken to provide drinking water facilities by making use of Varahi water. Currently, around 3 mld of water is used. There is the availability of 7 mld of water from the river which can be used to provide drinking water to the villages covering the area till Brahmavar. The Chief Minister has also assured to release funds through Minor Irrigation Department to construct series of vented dams to overcome shortage of drinking water problems.

Road repair works
The minister added that Rs 10 crore has been spent on building sea walls to tackle sea erosion of which Rs 7.02 crore was spent during the current fiscal. As many as Rs 17 crore loss has been incurred due to heavy rains in August. The district received 211 mm additional rainfall during the month. Seven deaths were reported and Rs 10.5 lakh was paid as compensation. A proposal, requesting Rs 15 crore as compensation package has been sent to the government.

He ensured that measures would be taken to repair the roads. Rs 38 crore is released by PWD department to repair the NH, Rs 18 crore for State highways, Rs 39 crore to district roads and Rs 23 crore to bridges.

In addition, Rs 57 crore has been sought to repair NH, Rs 23 crore to repair district roads and Rs 22 crore to repair State highways and Rs 52 crore for the bridges. He said a proposal worth Rs 8 crore is also sent to the government demanding the four-laning of Athradi-Shirva-Bajpe airport road and Agumbe-Perdur-Heeriyadka-Manipal-Malpe road.