Bangalore: Karnataka Chief Minister N Dharam Singh today (May 31, 2004) said that he expected no difficulty in managing the Congress-JDS (Janata Dal-Secular) coalition Government in the State.

Singh who is heading the first ever coalition ministry that assumed office in the wake of recent Assembly polls giving a fractured verdict said, "There should be no difficulty in running it," while talking to reporters.

Accelerating irrigation projects and providing quality power supply, besides toning up functioning by Panchayats were the priorities of the new Government, he said.

Singh said though the State had spent large resources on creating irrigation facilities in Upper Krishna Projects, at least 1.53 lakh acres of land remained without water in his own district Gulbarga.

He said schemes would be formulated in Krishna and Cauvery basins to ensure that farmers get water for irrigation.

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Turning to working of Panchayats, he said that even as the Government has enhanced grants to Rs five lakh to gram Panchayats, these local bodies were yet to come up to the expectations of people.

Singh said through the 72nd and 73rd constitution amendments, decentralisation of power has been achieved, but local self Governments have to be toned up still.

He said that after constituting the full ministry and allocation of portfolios he would consult his coalition Government partner in tailoring welfare programmes.