Kumaraswamy discusses public grievances with DCs

Bangalore, Dec 19 (UNI) Karnataka Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy tonight held a marathon meeting with District Deputy Commissioners and Chief Executive Officers, discussing various issues concerning the public including steps to face drought in the State.

Briefing newspersons here, even as the meeting was in progress, Mr Kumaraswamy said issues such as ration cards, housing and Suvarna Gramodaya under which village development in each taluk would be taken up, were discussed at length. The officials had identified 93 lakh families for issue of ration cards as against 27 lakh stipulated by the Planning Commission.

He blamed the previous Congress Government for this ''unscientific'' basis on which families were identified and said some drastic measures were needed to cut the present size. The Government would also identify three lakh beneficiaries additionally for providing houses, besides the three lakh already identified.

The Government had set apart Rs 900 crore, besides the budgetary allocations, he added.

Mr Kumaraswamy said he had directed officials to embark on measures to tackle drought in some districts of the State. Road development and providing drinking water would be given top priority. The district administrations were told to file a monthly report to him in this reagrd, he added.

He said action related to petitions he had received during his stay in villages and Janata Darshans had commenced.

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