The Hindu 04.12.2009
Tumkur gets CMC status
Special Correspondent
Bangalore: Tumkur town, along with 13 adjoining villages located about 70 km from Bangalore, has been accorded the status of a City Municipal Corporation (CMC), while the claims of Shimoga for the same status has been shelved as it has not fulfilled the requisite conditions.
Briefing presspersons after the Cabinet meeting, Home Minister V.S. Acharya and Minister for Law and Parliamentary Affairs Suresh Kumar said the population of Tumkur was presently 3.28 lakhs; density of population per square km: 6,000 (requisite is 3,000); total revenue resources raised: Rs. 6.2 crore — all of which fulfil the eligibility criteria. Tumkur, which will be the ninth CMC in the State will now be eligible for Government grants, including that of the Union Government. The town will be upgraded thereby reducing the density of the population in Bangalore.
In another important decision, the Cabinet also approved a major road widening and upgradation scheme of the Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike at a cost of Rs. 3,248 crore. The project would be completed in three years and some of the important roads to be upgraded and widened to six-lane include West of Chord road, Outer Ring Road, Hosur Road, Old Airport Road, Magadi Road and the Old Madras Road. The Cabinet also approved night safari at the Bannerghatta National Park. The Rs. 178-crore project, will be on the same lines as the night safaris in national parks in other countries.
Mr. Acharya said the Cabinet also approved the development of Tadadi port into an international port and Karnataka State Industrial Investment and Development Corporation Ltd. has been appointed the nodal agency to finalise the plans for its development. The Udupi Power Corporation (earlier of the Nagarjuna group) has been granted several concessions including entry tax (in the purchase of electricity generation equipment), stamp duty, among others. The Cabinet decided to wind up the proposal to establish a 1000 MW thermal power plant at Chamalapura near Mysore following public outcry.
Mr. Acharya said the Cabinet also approved the commissioning of a fourth shaft at the Government-owned Hutti Gold Mines in Raichur district. The Rs. 204-crore expansion project will be financed through internal accruals. The present gold production at Hutti, around 2.5 tonnes a year, will increase to three tonnes with the commissioning of the fourth shaft.
The Cabinet also approved a major garment and textile unit at Shimoga, which would provide employment to over 10,000 people. The unit will be given several government concessions and incentives totalling around Rs. 30 crore and the promoter has agreed to invest nearly Rs. 550 crore in the facility.
The Cabinet also extended the loan guarantee (for Rs. 400 crore) given to the Karnataka Cooperative Marketing Board. The Government guarantee will be valid until March 31, 2010.
The Indo-Tibetan Police Force has been allotted 250 acres of land near Belgaum for training and stationing a battalion.
