The Hindu 27.07.2009
Rs. 1,411 crore set aside for urban development: Acharya
Staff Correspondent
| Minister inaugurates 10-lakh-litre capacity water tank at Karkala |
Civic bodies told to give priority for drinking water supply
Minister wants importance to be given to
widen roads
Karkala (Udupi district): Home Minister V.S. Acharya said on Sunday that the State Government was giving priority to development of towns and cities.
He was speaking after inaugurating the 10-lakh-litre capacity overhead tank at the Ramasamudra Water Supply and Treatment Plant here.
Dr. Acharya said that the Government had set aside Rs. 1,411 crore for the development of towns and cities in the State.
It was providing Rs. 15 crore each to every city municipality and Rs. 5 crore each to every town municipality for development. These grants would be released in two years.
Each town panchayat had been provided with Rs. 2 crore, he said.
He lauded the Karkala Town Municipal Council for drawing up a plan for utilising the Rs. 5 crore allocated to it.
Rain damage
Udupi district topped the State in rain damage.
Relief
The Government had released Rs. 5 crore each to six districts which were severely affected by rains, and Rs. 2 crore each to five districts which were moderately affected by rains. It had provided Rs. 1 crore each to other 18 districts to meet any contingency arising out of monsoon, he said.
The city and town municipalities should give priority to drinking water supply.
They should make plans, taking into account the drinking water needs of the next 25 years.
The Karkala Town Municipal Council should take steps to remove silt from the Mundali Dam, from where water was being supplied to the people. This would increase the water storage capacity of the dam, he added.
Roads
Priority should also be given to widening of roads in towns and cities. Efforts should be made to widen roads in Karkala wherever possible, without disturbing the places of worship. The main bus-stand in Karkala should be shifted to a less congested area, Dr. Acharya said.
Funds
The Government had decided to construct an 80-feet-wide road from Udupi to Athrady. It had released Rs. 5 lakh for immediate filling of potholes on the main roads in Karkala, he said.
MLA Gopal Bhandary presided over the function.
Member of Legislative Council Kota Srinivas Poojary, president of Karkala Town Municipal Council Sitaram, vice-president Nalini Acharya, in-charge Deputy Commissioner Prasanna Kumar, executive officer of Karkala Town Municipal Council Madan, and municipal councillor Subadh Rao were among those present.
