Eswarappa demands `1,300 cr funds, more MNREGA man-days

New Delhi: The Karnataka government urged the Centre to approve 2 crore more man-days under the MNREGA scheme and at least 150 days of employment per family in 173 flood-hit taluks in the State, Rural Development Minister K S Eswarappa said on Wednesday.

The BJP-led government also demanded an extra allocation of Rs 1,300 crore funds. A day after meeting Union Rural Development Minister Narendra Singh Tomar in Delhi, Eswarappa said, "Tomarji responded very positively. The government has assured sanction of additional Rs 1,300 crore funds under MNREGA as well as for flood-hit taluks to provide additional days of work." The State government has requested the Centre to provide funds for two crore more person days under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee (MNREGA) scheme with an extra budget allocation of Rs 800 crore, he told reporters. Against the target of 13 crore man-days set for the State, 10.50 crore person days of employment has already been created, he said.