Ensure 80 pc benefit to reach the needy: HDK

Bangalore, May 4: Karnataka Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy today asked the State Machinery to ensure that at least 80 per cent of the funds earmarked for the welfare of society reached the beneficiaries.

Speaking after inaugurating a two-day seminar on ''11th five-year plan of Karnataka-Perspective'' jointly organised by the Karnataka State Planning Board and the Institute of Social and Economic Change here, he alleged that a huge gap existed between ''achievement and the money spent''.

Stating that the JD(S)-BJP coalition government had accorded priority to remove regional imbalance and provide better water resource management, rural development, education, health and infrastructure development, Mr Kumaraswamy said the funds earmarked for the targeted sector should be utilised properly.

He said the 'Suvarna Gramodaya' scheme, launched at a cost of Rs 1,000 crore, was intended for taking up developmental works in selected 1000 villages.

The Chief Minister said the funds earmarked for the scheme should be spent judiciously and create public assets at the targetted villages. ''If 80 per cent of the funds allocated for the purpose was utilised properly a lot of development can be witnessed,'' he added.

Mr Kumaraswamy said the broad goals of the 11th five-year plan of the state were to reduce poverty by 10 per cent, raise agricultural growth rate to 4 per cent, accelerate industrial development and improve the development indicators to acceptable levels.

Though the state had invested heavily on the irrigation sector, still a considerable gap existed between the potential created and utilised, he said, adding the physical progress achieved during the 10th plan was less than 50 per cent of the target, both in creation and utilisation of potential.

Urging the planners to take it seriously, the Chief Minister said the state had allocated over 23 per cent of its plan outlay for irrigation for 2007-08 and special attention was needed to reach the target.

Deputy Chairman State Planning Board Dr A Ravindra, speaking on the occasion, said the State was on the process of giving shape to the 11th Plan and the Seminar was aimed at receiving constructive suggestions from experts, academics, industrialists and stakeholders.

He said the draft plan was aimed at giving an impetus to agriculture and water management, tackling regional imbalance, industry and infrastructure and work out implementing strategies.

Experts from various fields have been invited to deliver lecture and give valuable inputs which would help to finalise the 11th five-year plan draft for the state, he added.

UNI