Karnataka govt moves to replenish accounts of DCs in flood-hit districts without fresh proposal

MANGALURU: In a bid to prevent rehabilitation efforts in flood-hit districts across the state from being hampered by lack of funds or delay in their disbursal, revenue minister R Ashoka has decreed that the personal deposit (PD) accounts in the name of the respective deputy commissioners will be replenished as and when the balance falls below the Rs 5 crore-mark. This saves the DCs the hassle of having to submit a fresh proposal seeking funds.
The state government moved to open PD accounts in the name of the DCs to usher in transparency in the utilisation of funds allocated for housing, compensation for crop loss and miscellaneous emergencies.The latest directive by the state government will now ensure that the DCs can focus their energies entirely on rehabilitation efforts.
Hailing the state government’s decision, Dakshina Kannada DC KV Rajendra told TOI, “If we are left with funds yet to be utilised under separate heads in the main account, we can use it interchangeably and replenish them later. For example, there is Rs 21 crore in the PD account in Dakshina Kannada while the administration must pay around Rs 6.5 crore to the Rajiv Gandhi Housing Corporation.”
Rajendra admitted a portion of the funds had been committed to expenditure for management of Covid-19, while some of the bills had already been paid. “The district administration can use the money in the State Disaster Relief Fund, which credited to the PD account, to offer compensation to those affected by flood, erect barricades in low-lying areas and ferrying of people in hazardous zones to rehabilitation centres,” he added.
Udupi DC G Jagadeesha said that the district administration had already earmarked Rs 14 crore for the undertaking of various rehabilitation projects. “Currently, there is Rs 3 crore in the PD account. The state government has disbursed Rs 50 crore to be credited to the PD accounts in 10 districts. Udupi has no urgent need for the funds,” Jagadeesha told TOI.
Revenue minister Ashoka said that the government had released a sum of Rs 340 crore to the districts towards housing.