Karnataka Governor: Big boost for Bengaluru's infrastructure

Bengaluru: Indicating that Bengaluru’s roads and other infrastructure were set to receive a boost over the coming financial year with investment of Rs 7,300 crore and the 110 villages newly added to the BBMP would finally receive Cauvery water, Governor Vajubhai Vala on Monday also dwelt on the state's progress in the IT-BT sector and its efforts to help farmers affected by the drought.

Addressing the joint session of the state legislature, he said besides Bengaluru, 11 water supply projects worth Rs 427 crore would be commissioned in other towns and cities of the state and water supply works costing Rs 1,279 crore would be taken up under the AMRUT scheme in 18 towns. Also, 17 underground drainage projects were being commissioned at a cost of Rs 542 crore in various parts.

Noting that Karnataka continued to lead the country in the IT and BT sector with a 10 to 12 per cent growth in the field and was creating new avenues of employment, he said with the launch of its new start-up policy, the state had retained its status as one of the start-up capitals of the world as well. Over 4000 start-ups had received investment of over one billion dollars over the past two years, he revealed.

In other announcements , the Governor said four centers of excellence would be established at sub-centers of the Government Tool Room and Training Center in Bengaluru, Kalaburagi, Dandeli and Mysuru, in association with M/s Siemens in an effort to create skilled human resources.

While recalling that the World Economic Forum had rated Bengaluru as the world's most dynamic city, he  however observed that it needed better public transportation and scientific traffic management  to address its traffic troubles.

Referring to Namma Metro Phase I, he said the BMRCL was poised to complete it by April 2017 and work was underway under Phase-2. Also, the state government had signed an MoU with the Union Railway Ministry for a suburban railway for Bengaluru. As for the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) established by the state government recently, the Governor said it had disposed of 2294  of the 3401 petitions received and registered 153 cases, conducted 32 raids and 21 searches. The government had not only set up Vigilance Cells in all departments, but also permitted prosecution of many cases pertaining to corruption over the last year.

Pointing out that the state had been reeling under a drought for four consecutive years, Mr Vala said the government had taken various measures to help the affected farmers, including waiving off the interest on  agriculture loans taken by 2.25 lakh, who had promised to pay the principal amount before March 31, 2017.

Jagadish Shettar: It’s a bundle of lies
Opposition leader in the Assembly, Jagadish Shettar termed the Governor’s address to the joint session of the state legislature as ‘a bundle of lies’.

Speaking to reporters after the Governor’s address here on Monday, Mr Shettar said the Congress government has given wrong and false statistics about its performance in the last four years. Regarding filling of vacancies in Hyderabad-Karnataka region under article 372 J of the Constitution, the government had stated that 50,000 vacancies have been filled up, but in actuality, only 4,000 to 5000 vacancies have been filled, Mr Shettar explained. Nor has the government given a clear picture about the release of  fund for drought relief works and has given wrong statistics. There is no mention in the governor’s address about restoration of Kappathagudda forest zone, Mr. Shettar said.

The state unit of the Bharatiya Janata Party will highlight the government inaction in tackling drought, the failure of law and order in the state and the Kappathagudda issue during the ongoing session, Mr Shettar  added.

Not fit for debate: HDK
The Governor’s speech is not even fit for a debate. Whatever projects he has mentioned  pertaining to irrigation, farmers or North Karnataka have received funds in the past, but they  have never been spent. Recently, Health and Family Welfare Minister, Ramesh Kumar himself observed that the government had been sleeping for the last three years and it was only after he was inducted into the Cabinet that he was trying to wake it up. When a minister himself has said this, what more can I say?  The government spoke of eradicating corruption in the state through the Anti-Corruption Bureau(ACB), but nothing has been mentioned about this in his speech.