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Fourth finance commission to submit report by next Sept

Elected reps demand one-time release of funds, more grants
Last Updated 28 October 2016, 18:38 IST

Chairman of Fourth State Finance Commission C G Chinnaswamy on Friday said the commission will submit its final report to the governor by September 2017.

Addressing the gathering after holding discussions with the members of Madikeri City Municipal Council (CMC) and Kodagu Zilla Panchayat, Chinnaswamy said the recommendations over allocation of funds to both urban and rural local bodies in the forthcoming budget will be included in the report.

He said the commission has already visited 14 districts and has held discussions with the local elected representatives. It has been collecting feedback through a questionnaire on population, geographical index, density of people, development of the district, improvement in basic infrastructural facilities, collection of taxes among others. While each district faces different set of problems, the commission can present a total picture in the report. The report will later discussed in the floor of the assembly, he added.

Infrastructure facilities

He felt that there is a surge in the number of youths migrating towards urban areas. This calls for creating of basic infrastructure facilities at rural level, focusing on the improving of existing facilities related to health, education and roads. The suggestions of local elected representatives will be included in the report, he added.

Zilla Panchayat president B A Harish mentioned about annual grants of Rs 2 core that would be released in phased manner. A sum of Rs 50 lakh has been released under first phase. However, it is only in the case of one time release of grants, will it be helpful in taking up development works of the district. Moreover, there is a rider on spending at least of 20% of funds on road development works, that should be changed for better, he urged.

Chairman of Social Justice Standing Committee at Zilla Panchaytat M K Viju Subramani brought it to the notice of the visiting delegation that lack of funds has affected the development works in the district. 

Chairman of Public Health and Education Standing Committee Mookonda V Subramani said, “River Cauvery originates in the district, yet the district has been facing water-related problems. The district has also been witnessing drought-like situation and the commission should recommend for drought relief in the range of Rs 25,000 to Rs 40,000 per acre of agricultural lands.”

The vacancies of doctors in the district has been affecting health care system at the graroots level. There is also a need for ambulances in adequate numbers. The maintenance of law and order is also hit due to the lack of sufficient police personnel, said member Sarojamma, seconded by Zilla Panchayat vice president Lokeshwari Gopal.

Zilla Panchayat member Kavitha said that though the district boasts of tourist spots, the roads connecting these places have remained in pathetic condition. The people belonging to scheduled caste, scheduled tribe and also the tribals are bereft of many facilities.

Another member K R Manjula exhorted the commission to recommend for funds to build drinking water unit to provide drinking water as Harangi reservoir in Kushlanagar in the district is unable to solve the woes.

Member Padmavathi demanded for waiver of loans of coffee planters and also farmers, besides declaring Somwarpet taluk as drought-hit.

Vice president of Somwarpet Taluk Panchayat Abhimanyu Kumar regretted that the decision to keep Zilla and Taluk Panchayats out of  the purview of 14th Finance Commission has put the local bodies in a tight spot. The Taluk Panchayats are not getting Rs 8 lakh grants.

It will be better to retain panchayat raj system in two levels, if there are no plans to strengthen taluk panchayat. There are no funds to take up desilting works in lakes and the deputy commissioner-headed taskforce itself is a bane. It will be better to bring the taskforce under the purview of Zilla Panchayat and Taluk Panchayat.

Sampaje Gram Panchayat president Balachandra Kelagi suggested for generating hydel energy from the water at rivulets.

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(Published 28 October 2016, 18:38 IST)

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