Monday, January 11, 2010
Minister takes exception to ‘misappropriation’ of MGREGA funds


Gulbarga: Union Labour and Employment Minister M. Mallikarjun Kharge on Sunday said that he would persuade Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and other members of the Union Cabinet on the proposal for the amendment of Article 371 of the Constitution to provide special status to Hyderabad Karnataka region. Talking to presspersons here, Mr. Kharge said that the demand for the amendment of Article 371 was pending before the Home Ministry and he would talk to Home Minister P Chidambaram in this regard and try to persuade him to clear the proposal at the earliest.

Mr. Kharge took serious note of the charges of misappropriation of funds released by the Union Government for the implementation of the Mahatma Gandhi Rural Employment Guarantee Act in different parts of the State.

He said that it was the responsibility of the State Government to ensure the proper use of the funds provided for the implementation of scheme and if the charges of misappropriation are proved, the centre may reconsider releasing funds to Karnataka under the scheme.

On the Super Speciality ESI Hospital and Medical College proposed on 30 acres of land provided in the main campus of the Gulbarga University, Mr. Kharge said that the architects had begun their work of preparing the designs and estimates of the proposed hospital and medical college.

He said that the foundation stone for the hospital and medical college complex would be laid within two months and the work of construction would begin shortly.

“Once the estimates of the buildings are submitted to the government, the required funds for beginning the construction would be released immediately. There is no dearth of funds for this purpose,” he added.