K'taka awaiting funds from Centre for PURA

Mysore, Mar 11 (UNI) Karnataka Minister for Panchayat Raj and Rural Development C M Udasi today said that they were awaiting the release of Central funds for implementing the Rs 600 Crore Providing Urban Facilities in Rural Areas (PURA) programme in the 24 selected districts of the State.

He was speaking after inaugurating a day-long seminar on PURA jointly organised by Inter Disciplinary Co-ordination Committee, the Institution of Engineers and Karnataka Land Army Corporation Limited here.

Mr Udasi said the State has sent proposal for inclusion of Mysore, Davanagere, Gulbarga and Bangalore Urban Districts in the Centre sponsored programme, which envisages providing connecting roads in the rural areas and communication network and knowledge to the rural masses. The project aims at bridging gap between urban and rural masses in terms of their lifestyle by providing the latter all facilities available in the urban areas. Another objective of the programme was the rural people should stay in their places and enjoy facilities of the urban areas, he added.

He said that 28,000 villages and one town selected in each of the 24 districts would be covered under the programme. The Karnataka Government would also release Rs 24 crores for the project.

The necessary process has been put in motion in consultation with the Finance Ministry and funds would be released soon, he added.

About 100 delegations, including engineers, from all over the country are taking part in the seminar.

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