More promises rain on B’lore

After Singapore dreams, global city
More promises rain on B’lore
Deccan Herald

The chief minister announced that his government would make known its stance on Bangalore City administration – whether to go in for the Greater Bangalore model or adopt some other approach – within a few days. A mass rapid transport system, including Bangalore Metro, would be developed to tackle the increasing vehicular traffic of the City.

If former chief minister S M Krishna had declared that he would turn Bangalore into a la Singapore, the JD(S)-BJP combine in the State vows to develop Bangalore into a global major.

A comprehensive project would be prepared for developing the City infrastructure, including Devanahalli International Airport, the Common Minimum Action Plan (CMAP) of the coalition government states.

The action plan of the ruling combine, which has rechristened itself as Karnataka Development Front (KDF), was released by Chief Minister H D Kumaaraswamy on Wednesday in the presence of Deputy Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa and several coalition leaders including BJP MP Ananth Kumar.

The chief minister announced that his government would make known its stance on Bangalore City administration — whether to go in for the Greater Bangalore model or adopt some other approach — within a few days. A mass rapid transport system, including Bangalore Metro, would be developed to tackle the increasing vehicular traffic of the City.

Decongesting B’lore

The CMAP vows to build technology parks in all district centres to decongest Bangalore by helping knowledge industries to set up their units there.

To prevent IT and BT industries from getting clustered in Bangalore, other cities like Mysore, Mangalore, Hassan, Hubli and Gulbarga would be developed as alternative IT and BT hubs, it says.

The CMAP assures industry that procedures related to tax and licences would be simplified, besides taking steps for revival of sick small scale units. The chief minister also asserted that his government was “not just a government which rains assurances, but is one that believes in action”.

He had already held three to four meetings with officials concerned on infrastructure issues related to Bangalore. People would feel the impact soon, he said.

3,000 MW to be added

Filling up of 80,000 vacancies in government departments, adding 3000 MW of power to the state grid in three years, setting up of a commodity exchange to get remunerative prices for crops and providing low-interest farm loans through commercial banks are some of the highlights of the CMAP. Laying emphasis on poverty alleviation and employment schemes, the CMAP says a micro-finance system would be introduced to help unemployed youth to take up self-employment.

Seeking to give priority for the agriculture sector, the action plan says a commodity exchange would be set up to help provide remunerative prices for crops.

Senior citizens have something to cheer as the CMAP promises a special counter for their treatment at district hospitals. They would be given identity cards.

Encroachment

Encroachment of government land by poor farmers, to the extent of less than five acres, would be regularised. Besides, the government would extend all assistance to farmers to prevent suicides due to debts. In such cases, the government would get the details on the financial position of the family of farmers to work out a suitable assistance scheme for them, the chief minister said.

Allowing private agricultural and veterinary science colleges is also on the agenda.

For women, the CMAP has decided to extend Sthree Shakti groups to all villages and to encourage NGOs to run working women’s hostels.

The CMAP is mostly a broad outline of the programmes and does not specify details or individual schemes. Referring to this, Mr Kumaaraswamy said the details as well as specific programmes would be revealed in the State budget to be presented on March 20.

If wishes were horses...

80,000 govt posts to be filled

3,000 MW of additional power in 3 years

Low-interest farm loans through commercial banks

Commodity exchange to be set up

Micro finance scheme for self employment

Special counters for senior citizens at dist hospitals

More pvt transport operators to get licenses in villages