Minister directs officials to speed up work on Ambedkar Bhavans

Expressing displeasure over the procrastination in the works related to Ambedkar Bhavans in the district, minister B Ramanath Rai told the officials to expedite the administrative procedures so as to resume with the construction of the Bhavans.

Reviewing the progress of development works during the tri-monthly KDP meeting at Zilla Panchayat auditorium in Mangaluru on Thursday, he said it was important for the officials to follow up the progress of Ambedkar Bhavans, which is a long-pending demand. The construction is been hit with an inordinate delay, he noted.

The official concerned said that 62 Ambedkar Bhavans are sanctioned in various gram panchayats and the proposals of the works requiring more than Rs 50 lakh will be put up for approval of the government. The Additional Chief Secretary of the department of Social Welfare, Government of Karnataka, has been requested to grant the jurisdiction to the Deputy Commissioner towards giving the administrative approval for the works upto Rs five crore.

Vented dams

The Minor Irrigation department executive engineer said that Rs 121 crore has been released to the district towards construction of vented dams under Paschima Vahini project. Dams will be built across the rivers in the district.

Ramanath Rai said that the purpose of these vented dams is to improve the water table to benefit the farmers. He told the official that to construct 10 to 20 vented dams of lesser heights. The cost of each vented dam should not cross Rs 10 crore. If the height of the dam is increased too much, then much larger land will submerge.

Substandard classroom works

Rai, Legislative Council Chief Whip Ivan D'Souza and Zilla Panchayat Education and Health Standing Committee president Shahul Hamid expressed their displeasure over the poor quality of work in the construction of classrooms under Rastriya Madhyamika Shikshana Abhiyana (RMSA). DDPI Y Shivaramaiah said that out of the 46 classrooms built under RMSA, 35 have been handed over to schools. Technical errors were found in the rest of the buildings during the third party inspection.

The district in-charge minister also expressed his discomfiture over the uncompleted works by KRIDL. He, meanwhile, told the DC to suspend the officials, if the lackadaisical behaviour continues.

Backwards Classes Welfare officer said that MUDA has sanctioned seven CA sites towards seven student hostels of the department. The government grants are to be released yet.

Deputy Commissioner Sasikanth Senthil said that the alignment for the proposed development of Karkal-Moodbidri road has been finalised. The long-awaited work of the road widening in Gurpur will also be taken up.

Benefits distributed to disabled

Earlier, Ramanath Rai distributed the special vehicles to 64 physically challenged persons, by handing over the keys. The facility was made available to the needy by the department of women and child welfare.