'BJP has failed to function as an Opposition'

BJP has failed to function as an Opposition party in the state, alleged Parliamentary Secretary to Chief Minister Ivan D’Souza.

Speaking to mediapersons, he said instead of providing suggestions to the coalition government on improving its governance and welfare schemes, the Opposition leaders were engaged in levelling false allegations against the State government.

Dejected over the failure to get ministerial berth, MP Shobha Karandlaje is expressing her displeasure by levelling allegations against the coalition government and has termed the government’s decision to expand the Cabinet as the final nail in the coffin, he added.

Ivan said that government had waived Rs 10.73 crore out of the Rs 16.73-crore loan borrowed by 3,710 farmers in nationalised banks. A sum of Rs 5.99 crore is pending to be released to Dakshina Kannada district.

Out of Rs 526.45-crore loan borrowed by farmers from cooperative societies, the state government has released Rs 197.47 crore to waive loans borrowed by 32,960 farmers, he added. A sum of Rs 328.98 crore is pending to be released to the district.

In Udupi district, out of the Rs 39.72-crore loan borrowed by 4,720 farmers from nationalised banks, a sum of Rs 8.26 crore has been released by the state government. A total of 24,232 farmers had borrowed Rs 178-crore loan from cooperative societies in Udupi district. The government has released Rs 54.53 crore to cooperative societiess as part of loan waiver as on May 31, he added.

Ivan said that under Podi-free villages, the drive was taken up in 41 villages in Sullia taluk which has been completed. The drive was taken up to covert Records of Rights, Tenancy and Crops (RTC) having multiple ownership into single ownership. The drive will help people in getting their RTC set right. Officials have been urged to organise revenue and pension adalats in each taluk headquaters every month, he added. Stating that the district administration is all set to tackle monsoon woes, Ivan said that Rs 25 lakh each has been released to taluks under natural calamities fund.

Water-level in Thumbe vented dam has increased following rainfall and water rationing resorted by the Mangaluru City Corporation has been stopped.