Rs. 154 crore for Mysore Plan 2009-10

Mysuru, Nov 19: The District Planning Committee has finalised the plan for Mysore for 2009-10. It expects a total investment of Rs. 154.57 crore for various works to be implemented across 42 departments.

At a meeting convened here on Tuesday, Nov 18 the members comprising the Mysore zilla panchayat president Marigowda and others, unveiled the plan wherein the State Government is expected to release Rs. 109.85 crore while the Centre will release Rs. 43.25 crore.

According to the plan, the major portion of the funds will be spent on education, which is Rs. 42.95 crore, while adult education gets Rs. 20 lakh.

Grants to gram panchayats has cornered a sizeable chunk at Rs. 11.9 crore, while rural housing and command area development programmes have secured sizeable amounts.

But out of the total amount, Rs. 38.17 crore will be taken up by salary and wages, and the actual amount diverted for works will be significantly lower.

Promotion of science and technology is to get a measly Rs. 4.3 lakh while rehabilitation of bonded labourers, if any, has been sanctioned Rs. 1.5 lakh.

The other departments covered under the plan include Horticulture, Department of Women and Child Development, Agriculture, Animal Husbandry, Swarna Jayanti Gram Swarozgar Yojana, Fisheries, among others.

Mr. Marigowda made a case for special grant for District Planning Committee to sanction works on a priority basis.

He pointed out that as per the existing system, the Centre does not directly sanction funds to the District Planning Committee but it is routed through the local bodies.

He said the committee did not have the powers to discuss the works being directly implemented by various departments, including the Mysore City Corporation, Mysore Urban Development Authority and the Excise Departments, though many of their programmes were being implemented in rural areas. Hence, he urged the Government to empower and authorise the Planning Committee to approve these works.

Mr. Marigowda also called upon the Government to empower the district planning committee to prepare and chalk out an action plan for implementing various works under the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission.

A few members took objection to the casual manner in which the plan was drafted and submitted and said they were not consulted at any stage.

Mr. Marigowda sought additional constitutional power for the district planning committees and greater share of funds to take up development projects.

OneIndia News