The Hindu 07.11.2013
‘Basic facilities will be upgraded in urban areas’
Special Correspondent
Minister for Urban Development Vinay Kumar Sorake, said
here on Wednesday that all fundamental facilities would be upgraded in
urban centres across the State in a phased manner.
He
was addressing a rally at the Maharaja College ground here at which
Chief Minister Siddaramaiah inaugurated a slew of projects and laid
foundation stones for several others.
About 38 per
cent of people lived in urban centres in Karnataka, according to the
2011 census, Mr. Sorake said. This was against the national average of
32 per cent. Facilities such as drinking water, electricity, and
underground drainage system would be provided.
The
Minister said that Rs. 3,250 crore was being availed of as loan from the
government to develop small town panchayats in the State. A Land Bank
scheme was being chalked out to acquire land for the development of
urban centres. His department was also going ahead with plans to upgrade
Tumkur, Shimoga and Bijapur CMCs to corporations by improving
amenities, Mr. Sorake added.
Mr. Sorake added that
steps were being taken to appoint 3,450 employees under different
cadres. Mysore district in charge and Revenue Minister V. Srinivas
Prasad, who spoke earlier, said the State government had sought Rs. 495
crore from the 14th Finance Commission to construct mini Vidhana Soudha
buildings in taluks and district complexes in district headquarters in
the next three years. A.H. Vishwanath, MP, urged Mr. Siddaramaiah to
appoint a special officer to check encroachment of government lands in
Mysore district and lauded the “progressive policies” of the
Siddaramaiah government.
Janata Dal (Secular) MLA,
G.T. Deve Gowda, who spoke earlier, praised the Siddaramaiah government
for its “pro-poor stand” and appealed to ensure that drinking water was
supplied to several villages in Mysore taluk. Chamaraja MLA, Vasu, who
presided, appealed to the Chief Minister to construct Ashraya houses for
the poor in Mysore.
Facilities such as drinking water and electricity will be provided: Sorake
