Focus on water supply, CM's diktat to officials

Officials instructed to complete rural road works in three months

Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, on Saturday, directed the authorities concerned to ensure adequate supply of drinking water in both urban and rural areas.

Presiding over a closed-door meeting of district-level officials, convened at the Government Guest House, here, Siddaramaiah said: “Though sources of water are available in urban areas, adequate water is not supplied to the households. It could be due to illegal consumers, who have to be dealt with an iron hand by the officials, to check the recurrence of such violations”.

Despite rainfall in rural areas, the cry for water remains to be addressed, with the urgent need to identify the areas reeling under trouble. The problem could be addressed only if precautionary measures are taken, the chief minister suggested.

Saying that the State government has released Rs 100 crore aid to the city twice, the chief minister categorically instructed the officials to judiciously spend the funds and maintain quality of the works. “The works should be completed within the deadline to facilitate the launch of new works,” he added.

The chief minister advised the Mysuru City Corporation (MCC) to mobilise its own resources, by collecting taxes from various sources. “The civic body should not rely on the funds released by the governments to take up works. Besides, illegal advertisement materials should be removed to maintain the beauty of the city that is popular as the ‘cultural capital’ due to its heritage buildings,” he said.

He warned of fixing accountability on the officials for failure to complete works in rural areas within the stipulated time. A grant of Rs 53 crore has been released from the chief ministers’ rural roads development fund to improve the condition of existing roads.

Though the fund has been released in advance, there are complaints about not starting the works.

On his pet programme ‘Anna Bhagya’ that was relaunched with modifications on Friday, the chief minister cautioned the officials against selling the foodgrains in the black market. Instead, efforts should be made to reach the foodgrains to all beneficiaries, realising the purpose of the government.

The chief minister also received grievances from the people, who had gathered at the Guest House.