‘I will implement at least 60% promises’

‘I will implement at least 60% promises’
The Times of India


The ‘Suvarna’ Rajyothsava — November 1, 2006 (marking the state’s Golden Jubilee) — will see twin gifts for Bangalore: The formation of Greater Bangalore including the entire Bangalore rural district and reverting to the city’s pre-colonial name, Bengaluru.

Wrapping promises up in his vision for the betterment of infrastructure-beleaguered Bangalore, chief minister H D Kumaraswamy during a panel discussion on Vision Bangalore on Wednesday, organised as part of the Refresh Bangalore campaign by the Times of India, said he would ensure that Bangalore got all that it needed to grow, and grow better. “I will implement at least 50-60% of the promises I make and will try to implement all suggestions made for the welfare of the city,’’ he declared.

Speaking on the sidelines, in an interview to The Times of India, he laid out the road map for Greater Bangalore, which is to take off on November 1. Not only will it include the seven CMCs and one TMC around Bangalore city, but also all eight taluks of the Bangalore Rural district (including the CM’s constituency of Ramanagaram).

Kumaraswamy said the entire region would be reorganised into about 160 wards and would vote for one single body to administer it — renamed Bengaluru. Along the lines of London, there are also plans for direct election of the Mayor for this body.

Tackling the issue of real estate, which has got frozen due to the ban on land conversions, Kumaraswamy insisted that the “temporary halting’’ of three months was essential for planned development. He also spoke of the need to use recycled water for car wash and gardening, saving precious Cauvery water for drinking purposes only.

Admitting to the crying need for a mass rapid transit system, Kumaraswamy said both the Metro and the Mono Rail were on track and a detailed interlinked system of rail transport would be worked out within September 30. Responding to problems raised by members of the audience on the alignment of the Metro, he announced a high-level meeting with officials to resolve the public issues.

Responding to a suggestion from Biocon chief Kiran Mazumdar Shaw to impose a congestion fee for every singleperson driven car into the central business district, a la London, the CM said: “The citizens are already paying high cesses on petrol. It won’t be fair to collect one more tax.’’

To Infosys chief N R Narayana Murthy’s demand for more English-medium schools with reservation for the lower economic classes, Kumaraswamy said donations in such schools was a serious problem that needed tackling. He, however, promised NGO, Public Affairs Centre founder Samuel Paul that an advisory committee on infrastructure would be set up to monitor the pressing problems.

But the meet was not without political overtones. Taking a dig at the Yeshaswini health insurance scheme promoted by then chief minister S M Krishna, Kumaraswamy told the scheme’s founder Dr Devi Prasad Shetty: “It should be bettered and made more effective, reaching out to slum dwellers.’’ Shetty, however, said his vision was the same.