Speaking at a function to inaugurate the newly-constructed Gram Panchayat auditorium in Kuppahalli village on Monday, Zilla Panchayat president Vinuta Srinivas said that while Bagepalli tops the district in implementing MGREGS, it is in sluggish in Shidlaghatta and Chikkaballapur taluks.
She called upon officers to utilise the funds released under the scheme. Warning serious action against any irregularity in the scheme, the ZP president said that 19 Gram Panchayat secretaries in the district have been suspended for misappropriation of MGREGS funds.
No takers for toilets
A financial assistance of Rs 3,000 is being extended for construction of toilets in each house, in every village. The grant released on this account so far totals to Rs 97 lakh. However, the money is not being utilised for the purpose it is meant. No one is coming forward to construct toilets, she rued.
Kuppahalli Gram Panchayat has the distinction of constructing a own building for itself, out of its own funds. The selfless service of the elected representatives is the principal cause for this achievement, she lauded.
The ZP president disclosed that a sum of Rs 10 lakh each has been released for construction of 30 Gram Panchayat offices in the district. The construction would be entrusted to Land Army Corporation.
Resource mobilisation
Kuppahalli Gram Panchayat member K P Channabyregowda said that 36 solar lights have been installed at a cost of 11 lakh in the GP limits. In addition, concrete roads have been laid at a cost of Rs 20 lakh and auditorium constructed spending Rs 10 lakh. The entire expense of Rs 41 lakh has been borne by the Gram Panchayat itself.
Legislator K P Bachegowda said that the villagers have extended absolute cooperation in making the GP, a model one. A sum of Rs 40 lakh has been released to Gram Panchayat under Suvarna Grama scheme. The local body has set a precedent in resource mobilisation, he noted suggesting to lay emphasis on creating permanent assets under MGREGS.
Zilla Panchayat member G R Narayanaswamy lamented that funds have not been released to Zilla Panchayat constituencies after Yeddyurappa took over as Chief Minister.
Former minister K M Muniyappa, Taluk Panchayat member K R Reddy, Gram Panchayat president K T Srinivas, vice-president Venkatamma Nanjappa and others were present.
