1,410 babus make RDPR department most corrupt

BELAGAVI: With 1,410 officials facing charges of irregularities, graft and dereliction of duty, the rural development and panchayat raj (RDPR) has topped the list of the most corrupt government departments. These officials working in various capacities have been facing such charges since 2013, RDPR minister HK Patil said in the legislative assembly on Monday. "We have recovered Rs 6 crore as penalty from the guilty officials. A departmental inquiry has been ordered against 563 officials and promotions of another 506 have been withheld. Criminal cases have been registered against 162 officials and another 179 have been suspended on various charges," Patil said in his reply to a debate on his department. He claimed his department is facing financial constraints in implementing various projects due to the Centre's "step-motherly attitude towards Karnataka". While neighbouring Andhra Pradesh received Rs 4,000 crore under MNREGA this year, Karnataka got just Rs 1,800 crore, he maintained. Anytime water machines in 1,000 villages: The minister said he will resign if his department fails to install anytime water (ATW) machines in 1,000 villages. Patil said he has set a deadline of 2016 to install 1,000 ATW machines under the Shudd Neeru Yogana, one of his flagship schemes. The RDPR ministry has decided to install 7,000 units across the state by 2018 to provide 10 litres of drinking water for Re 1 to address water scarcity in rural and semi-urban areas of Karnataka. -TOI