Daijiworld Media Network-Udupi (HB)
Udupi, Jun 14: “There are 6020 gram panchayats under state government which generate income by tax, building rent, license, and auction but the state government does not release funds directly to the panchayat. It goes through Escrow account,” said MLC Kota Srinivas Poojary in a press meet on Tuesday June 14.
“The state government releases 60% of funds to all the gram panchayats but the amount are withheld in escrow account. The fund amount is only used for payment of MESCOM instead of spending for developmental works.”
“The state government has kept Rs 2500 crores of pending MESCOM bills. The central government has released Rs 375 crore to state under fourteenth finance commission in 2106-17 in first phase out of total Rs 974 crores. Out of Rs 375 crores, nearly Rs 100 crores of fund amounts is deposited in Escrow account.”
“State government made the local bodies powerless by misusing more than Rs 700 crores of funds which was meant for development works,” he alleged.
In total, Rs 20 crores is deposited in escrow account in twin districts, he informed.
He demanded to sort out these issues in a week time.
94 C– never ending problem:
According to the tahsildar, nearly 2859 applications have been received, out of the 1762 applications are rejected. They have also issued RTC for 132 applicants in Udupi taluk.
Karkala taluk has received 6202 applications. Out of which 105 applications are approved and sanctioned RTC for 99 applicants.
Kundapur taluk has received 6312 applications and finalized applications are 862.
MLC Kota insisted that district in charge minister Vinay Kumar Sorake and district administration to find a permanent solution to this problem.
Right to Education Act failed in its implementation:
As per the norms, 1167 candidates are eligible to purse education under RTE act in the district but education department has considered only 428 candidates. 160 candidates received only messages regarding their right to education, he said.
“Education department has neglected the poor people. On the whole state government has not done its work properly,” he added.