Bengaluru, 12 June

Karnataka Rural Development and Panchayat Raj Minister Eshwar B Khandre warned that disciplinary action will be taken if workers are forced to manually clean septic tanks or sewage pits, and mandated the use of machines.

Referring to a statement by Safai Karmachari Development Corporation Chairman that Karnataka has 7,483 manual scavengers, Khadre said that all cleaning must be mechanised and announced that the government will procure jetting and suction machines.

Speaking ahead of a district review meeting in Devanahalli, Khandre said a Faecal Sludge Treatment Plant (FSTP) has been set up there and announced plans to establish similar facilities at the panchayat level.

Khandre also ordered the geotagging of all Bengaluru Rural Zilla Panchayat properties to prevent encroachment. He also directed officials to fix e-Swathu server issues and stated that the government is considering exemptions from documentation requirements for rural residents with ancestral properties.

During the progress review meeting, Khandre instructed officials to inspect roads excavated for water pipeline work.

Khandre said the revamped MGNREGA, now renamed Viksit Bharat Gram Rozgar Yojana (VB-GRAM G), is set to launch on 1 July and said he had urged Union Rural Development Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan to change the Centre-State financing to 80:20 instead of the current 60:40 fund-sharing basis. Khandre had also sought the withdrawal of the proposed 60-day employment gap.

He further instructed officials to test borewell water for harmful substances.