Aiyer promises financial aid to K'taka

Union minister for panchayat raj Mani Shankar Aiyer on Monday promised to extend financial assistance to Karnataka's ambitious project to adopt 1,000 villages for the overall development by spending over Rs 1,000 crore.

Speaking to reporters after meeting chief minister H D Kumaraswamy, Aiyer said Karnataka had sought the Centre's assistance for the scheme under which Rs 1 crore would be spent for the overall development of each of the selected 1,000 villages.

Basic infrastructure like roads, drinking water, electricity and public amenities will be provided in the villages.

"The chief minister has given a comprehensive outline of the scheme. A final decision will be taken on sanctioning the necessary financial assistance shortly," he added.

Aiyer said the reservation system adopted in the village panchayats by Karnataka to the posts of president and vice-presidents was more rational.

"We intend to introduce a similar model at the national level for the panchayat raj system," the minister said.