CM on whistle-stop drought tour in Ballari dist

Chief Minister Siddaramaiah visited drought-hit villages in the district on Monday.

But it was a whistle stop tour by the chief minister. At 12.45 pm, Siddaramaiah was at Kurugodu tank in the taluk, conducted an inspection there for five minutes and then reached the Sindhigeri tank.

Farmer Sunkaiah raised slogans, seeking waiver of loans, at the Sindhigeri tank. When Sunkaiah approached Siddaramaiah’s car, he was frisked away by the police.

The inspection there was for just four minutes. He then went to Shahnawazpur and Bylur villages in Siraguppa taluk, where he spent 15 minutes each.

He tested the quality of food served at the Bylur government higher primary school by tasting it.

Wages every week
At Shahnawazpur, he interacted with workers under the MGNREGS. When Sheikhamma Bi, a farmer, told the chief minister that they were getting wages only once in 15 days, Siddaramaiah told her that he would see to it that the workers get paid every week.

At the progress review meeting held at the Zilla Panchayat in the city in the evening, the chief minister gave a strict instruction to the officials ensure that the workers get their pay every week.