Mysuru: Chief Minister Siddharamaiah on Saturday directed the officials concerned to consider the families of debt-ridden farmers, who have committed suicide, after taking loans from private money lenders for payment of compensation.

At a district level meeting at the Government Guest House here,  the CM instructed the officials to pay a compensation of Rs. 5 lakh and provide free medical benefits, education to the children of farmers who have killed themselves due to mounting debts.

Till now, the compensation was paid only to the families of the farmers who had obtained loans from banks. The Chief Minister directed Deputy Commissioner (DC) D. Randeep to pay drought relief compensation soon after the funds are released. DC Randeep said 7,970 farmers have registered under the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bhima Yojana in the district, for which the district is to get Rs. 9 crore.

But the Tata Insurance agency which has taken the responsibility of the scheme, has said the delay in the release of funds was due to some technical problems, which will soon be sorted out, the DC said who also brought to the notice of the CM, that banks too were showing little interest for the scheme.

The CM asked the authorities concerned to expedite drinking water projects in the city and district, including various multi-village drinking water projects.

Irked by the non-completion of 6-year long 24×7 drinking water project in Nanjangud, the CM instructed the officials to take up the works on a priority basis and complete the project at the earliest.

ZP CEO Shivashankar said that 37,000 toilets have been built in the district and the ZP has set a target of constructing 1.05 lakh toilets by September 2018

Chief Minister Siddharamaiah, reminding the officials that the State Government has vowed to make Karnataka an open defecation free State by Oct. 2, 2018, asked them to work hard in that direction.

Chamundeshwari MLA G.T. Devegowda brought to the notice of the Chief Minister, the drinking  water crisis in Ramabainagar, Mahadevapura and surrounding layouts coming under the MCC.

The CM directed the officials to come up with a separate drinking water project for these areas.

Siddharamaiah announced that the State Government has organised Mysuru division level benefits distribution programme at Mysuru on June 3. The Bengaluru division level programme marking the successful completion of Congress Government’s four years in office, was held at Chitradurga recently, he added.

PWD and District in-charge Minister Dr. H.C. Mahadevappa, MP R. Dhruvanarayan, MLAs M.K. Somashekar, H.P. Manjunath and Kalale Keshavamurthy, Varuna Assembly Segment Housing Projects Monitoring Committee President Dr. Yathindra Siddharamaiah, in-charge Regional Commissioner M.V. Jayanti, City Police Commissioner Dr. A. Subramanyeshwara Rao, SP Ravi D. Channannavar and others were present.