From Our Special Correspondent

Daijiworld Media Network 

Bengaluru, Jul 30: Karnataka chief minister B S Yediyurappa has directed the Deputy Commissioner of Kodagu district to submit a comprehensive action plan of Rs 535 crore for the rehabilitation and reconstruction of the infrastructure of the district which suffered widespread devastation in heavy rains and landslides in the year 2018.           

The chief minister held a meeting at his home office of Krishna in Bengaluru on Tuesday on the relief, rehabilitation and reconstruction of the rain devastation in Kodagu district during a high-level review meeting.           

The district suffered massive loss and destruction of basic infrastructure including roads and buildings to the tune of Rs 1400 crore. 

The state government has already released a special grant of Rs 85 crore while the Centre has provided Rs 58 crore.           

The Kodagu deputy commissioner briefed the chief minister that works to the tune of Rs 535 crore were necessary for reconstructing national highways, state highways, rural and civic roads, underground drainage and other infrastructure facilities.           

As many as 842 families who lost their houses had been provided with built houses in Made, Karnangeri and Madapur through the Rajiv Gandhi Housing Corporation at a cost of Rs 111 crore. A sum of Rs 42.92 crore has been released for infrastructure development. Construction of all houses will be completed in the next three months.           

The Infosys Foundation has come forward to build 200 houses while Seva Bharati organisation has come forward to build 35 houses in Sampaje village. The Chief Minister directed the necessary approvals must be immediately provided.           

Steps are being taken to help 83 families who sought construction of houses and 54 persons have been sanctioned Rs 9 lakh while another 29 families will also be provided with assistance.           

BJP legislators from Kodagu – K G Bopaiah, Appacchu Ranjan and Sunil Subramanya, Chief Minister’s adviser M Lakshminarayana, Chief Minister’s additional chief secretary Dr E V Ramana Reddy, additional chief secretary of finance department I S N Prasad and other senior officials attended the meeting.