Chikkamagaluru: Rural development and panchayat raj minister Eshwara B Khandre on Tuesday said third-party verification would be conducted into alleged incomplete and poor-quality works under Jal Jeevan Mission, with action to follow if irregularities were found.Despite deficient rainfall and drought, supplying safe drinking water to all villages was the state’s top priority, Khandre said at a review meeting. As many as 859 villages face drinking water problems, and the state has taken steps to supply water through tankers and private borewells.He said Rs 117 crore had been released for rural drinking water when Siddaramaiah was chief minister, while chief minister DK Shivakumar had now released Rs 189 crore for rural assembly constituencies. Funds were not in short supply, and officials were instructed to resolve drinking water problems within 24 hours of being reported.Forest clearance issues affecting multi-village drinking water schemes under JJM had come to govt’s notice and would be resolved according to rules at the earliest, he said. Khandre said rural Karnataka had 2 lakh km of roads, half of them mud roads. Villages facing traffic pressure should have at least one connectivity road, and govt had planned a rural road development scheme.Govt was prioritising model villages and scientific disposal of solid and wet waste. In view of the drought, individual beneficiaries could undertake borewell recharge, well-digging, farm ponds and check dams, besides building school compound walls and hospital buildings. New job cards had also been issued.Legislators TD Rajegowda and Gayatri Shantegowda, and Commissioner YS Patil attended the meeting.In view of drought, individual beneficiaries are allowed to take up borewell recharge, digging of wells, farm ponds, check dams, besides school compound walls and hospital buildings. New job cards have been issued, he said.Legislators TD Rajegowda, Gayatri Shantegowda and commissioner YS Patil were present.
