Rural Development and Panchayat Raj Minister K S Eshwarappa and Housing and Kodagu In-charge Minister V Somanna inaugurated the new building of Kodagu Zilla Panchayat at K Badaga village, near Madikeri, on Friday.
The groundbreaking for the new building, constructed at a total cost of Rs 30 cr, was done in 2016.
Speaking on the occasion, Eshwarappa said that a grant of Rs 30 crore would be given to each Assembly constituency under Pradhan Mantri Grameen Sadak Yojana.
“Also, grants will be released for solving drinking water problem,” he added.
The minister meanwhile assured of providing Rs 20 lakh each to 28 gram panchayats towards solid waste management unit.
“Task Forces will be formed for ZP members and every task force will be granted a fund of Rs one crore”, he said.
“Floods have ravaged the state. The Central government has provided Rs 1,200 crore for relief measures and the state has already released Rs 1,500 crore. Another Rs 1,500 crore will be released soon. It has been decided in the Cabinet meeting to utilise Central government grants for compensating the loss of crops,” Eshwarappa said.
He also assured of providing integrated funds towards the rejuvenation of lakes in Kodagu.
Lauding the job done by top officials of the district -- Deputy Commissioner Annies Kanmani Joy, Zilla Panchayat Chief Executive Officer K Lakshmipriya and Superintendent of Police Dr Suman D Pennekar, the minister said the district was peaceful as women adored all the key posts in Kodagu.
He also mentioned that he has four daughters and a son.
District In-charge Minister V Somanna said there had been loss of life, both human and animals, in the district due to floods.
Agriculturists in the district have incurred a huge loss. A package of Rs 532 crore has been announced to Kodagu out of which Rs 100 crore has been released. The problems of flood victims will be duly addressed, he added.Somanna meanwhile added that Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa was supposed to be take part in the programmes of handing over houses to flood victims and the inauguration of new building of the ZP. But the chief minister could not attend due to unfavourable weather conditions.
MLA K G Bopaiah urged the state government to provide 350 acres of ‘C’ and ‘D’ (categories) land to those who have lost their agricultural land in Mudigere, owing to landslides.
MLA Appacchu Ranjan urged the government to release Rs 1 crore for the restoration of historic Old Fort in Madikeri.
MLC Veena Acchaiah said the government should construct houses for flood victims of 2019 at a cost of Rs 9.85 lakh each, instead of Rs 5 lakh.