Yawn: CM upset over infrastructure

CM upset over infrastructure
Calls high-level meet on Jan 17 Infosys threat triggers action
VIJAY TIMES NEWS

Bangalore: S tung b y the criticism of the slow pace of infrastructure development in Bangalore City , Chief Minister Dharam Singh on Saturday announced that he would hold a high-level official meeting on J an 17 to review the progress of various projects.

S ingh, who returned to the City from Delhi after getting a recor d Plan outlay appro ved b y Planning Commission for 2006-07, told reporters that he was not happy with the speed of implementation of the infrastructur e projects . "I t has not happened the way I expected." The Chief Minister was reacting to the recent decision of IT major Infosys to take expansion plans to cities outside Karnataka due to non-availability of land and infrastructural bottlenecks.

He said the high-level review meeting would be attended by senior officials of all civic agencies, besides the MLAs and MPs.

On the threat issued by Infosys, Dharam Singh said he would separately discuss the issue with the company CEO Nandan Nilekani and redress their grievances.

H e said he had informed Planning Commission Deputy Chairman M ontek Singh Ahluwalia during the Delhi meeting that his go vernment had earmarked Rs 7,000 crore for impro vement of Bangalore’s infrastructure, of which Rs1,900 crore had been spent in the last 19 months. The Centre had agreed to make available Rs1,500 crore to Karnataka to ease the transportation problems in the inner City and also construction of stormwater drains to prevent flooding of the houses, he added.

Expressing his happiness over Rs16,166 crore annual plan outlay fixed for the current year , he said the Planning Commission had advised the State to seek higher allocation considering its good financial performance.

Development has not happened the way I expected: Dharam

Civic officials, MLAs, MPs to attend meet
CM to meet Infosys CEO on its plans to expand outside State
Rs 7,000 cr earmarked for works, Rs 1,900 cr already spent
Centre to fund Rs 1,500 cr to ease transportation & drainage problems
27 acres to be acquired for Metro rail, Rs 75 cr set aside
Dharam Singh has expressed confide project would be cleared "positively" by thi end. Speaking to reporters on Saturday , he State go vernment had issued an order for the acqu tion of 27 acres of land for the project had been pro vided for the purpose. H e said an em ered Group of Ministers headed by U nion Ag Minister Sharad P awar was looking into the questi railway gauge for M etro Rail and the issue resolved within a month.

On the appointment of a new Chairman to Bangalore Airport Ltd in place of Infosys’ chief mentor N ar resigned, Singh said the go vernment would take a time." H e pointed out that the work on the projec out any hitch and it would be completed by 2008