DH News Service, Shidlaghatta: MLA V Muniyappa expressed his displeasure over the return of about 70 per cent of the funds sanctioned by the World Bank, for the desilting and revival of lakes and ponds in Shidlaghatta taluk. He was speaking after inaugurating the Nallenahalli mini water supply scheme and Nadipinayakanahalli mini water supply scheme and also the stone-laying ceremony of the first floor of the milk producers co-operative association - all of which come under Nagamangala Gram Panchayat limits, in Shidlaghatta taluk on Wednesday. He said, an amount of Rs 3.10 lakh had been sanctioned under the Zilla Panchayat grants, for the implementation of the mini water supply project. Various villages in the taluk were facing acute drinking water crisis. And there was no alternate scheme to solve this problem. In the backdrop of depletion of underground water, development of lakes and ponds was one of the most safest methods to increase the water resources, he informed. Additional grants The MLA said, the previous Congress government had provided additional grants to the Gram Panchayats. Based on the population, grants upto Rs 20 lakh was released. However, the development is not upto the mark. Lack of proper awareness and information among the elected representatives was also one of the reasons. In this backdrop, awareness programmes in order to update the knowledge of the elected representatives was also a must, he opined. He said, now that he belonged to the Opposition Party, he was ready to undertake all the responsibilities and work for the benefit of the people. Mere assurances will not help solve the problems, he added. The BJP had come to power with the claim that it was a pro-farmers' party. But, as soon as it came to power, it has conveniently neglected the farmers. None of the governments so far had installed metres on the farmer's irrigation pumpsets. However, now the present government had come forward to install metres on the farmers' irrigation pumpsets. The farmers should oppose this tooth and nail, Mr Muniyappa added. Action plan An action plan of Rs 77 lakh had already been prepared for the development of roads. An amount of Rs one crore had already been released for the implementation of effective drinking water project. This amount will be increased by the next week. An amount of Rs 2.25 crore had also been released for the implementation of various projects in the taluk, Mr Muniyappa informed. President of the Zilla Panchayat Chickkanarasimhaiah, former president V Subramani, member N Muniyappa, former member R Shrinivas, Jangamakote Block Congress President K M Ramakrishnappa, KMF former president K Gudiyappa, Taluk Panchayat President Moula, Vice-President Saraswathamma, Muniyappa, Nanjegowda, Munegowda, Bhairegowda, officials Badanuru, Venkataswamy, Satish, Krishnappa, Devaraj and others were present on the occasion.