The Hindu : Centre to release 1 lakh tonnes of foodgrains

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Dec 18, 2002

Southern States

Southern States - Karnataka

Centre to release 1 lakh tonnes of foodgrains

By Our Special Correspondent

BANGALORE DEC. 17. The Home Minister, Mallikarjun Kharge, today said the Union Government would soon release one lakh tonnes of foodgrains to the State under the Centrally sponsored food for work scheme.

Mr. Kharge told presspersons here that the State had asked for three lakh tonnes of foodgrains for the scheme, but the Union Minister for Agriculture, Ajit Singh, agreed to release one lakh tonnes.

Till now the Government had used 70 per cent of the foodgrains supplied under the scheme and the rest would be used in the coming days, he said.

The Government had not taken up works under the scheme in Chamarajanagar, Mandya, Mysore, and Bangalore Rural districts in October and November due to the Cauvery stir. About 1.5 lakh tonnes of foodgrains would be needed till January end, he said.

To a question on the State Government's demand for an amendment to Article 371 of the Constitution to provide reservation in education and employment for people from the backward districts in the Hyderabad Karnataka region, Mr. Kharge said the Centre had rejected the demand stating that the situation in the region did not warrant such a measure. In a letter to the State Government, the Deputy Prime Minister, L.K. Advani, had expressed reservations over the demand, he said.

However, the Government would again urge the Centre to give special status for Gulbarga, Raichur, and Bidar districts, as they were backward on all fronts, Mr. Kharge said. The Government would appeal to the MPs from the State and Opposition leaders to pressure the Centre to concede the demand.

Referring to the judicial inquiry ordered into the death of the former minister, H. Nagappa, the Home Minister said a sitting judge of the Karnataka High Court would commence the inquiry soon. The terms and reference of the commission would be drafted in a couple of days.

To a question on transfer of the Mysore City Police Commissioner, Chandrashekar, Mr. Kharge said it was a routine administrative transfer. However, he declined to comment on the "Mysore episode" since a panel of judges constituted by the Chief Justice of India was investigating the matter.

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