Speaking to media persons after performing ‘chandika yaga’ here at Mookambika Temple on Sunday, he informed that president for the authority will be appointed within 15 days and the projects to develop the coastal belt will be planned by six months.

Stating that rural development will be given most prominence thereby giving priority to explore new job opportunities in the villages to avoid migration of the youths to urban areas, he said rural areas are transformed into old age homes owing to lack of youths who migrate to urban areas in search of livelihood. “The government is taking the issue seriously and plans have been chalked out to introduce various beneficiary programmes to combat this concern,” he added.

He said for the first time in the history of the post independence, as many as one crore downtrodden people comprising poor, illiterates, untouchables and farmers have been assured a respectful life and added about 50 lakh families in the State are provided with a bank account of one lakh deposit each and farmers, fishermen and weavers are given loans at 3% interest in all cooperative banks.

He said State budget is concerned with the development in the field of education and irrigation. Check dams will be built to avoid the water problems in the State especially in the rural areas. One crore has been announced for the survey of rivers that run eastwards. Actions have been taken to revamp the national highways, he informed.

Stating that the negligence of the officials has resulted in the failure to recognise the beneficiaries for the BPL cards, he informed that instructions have been issued for the officials to immediately recognise the beneficiaries for Sandhya Suraksha scheme within the time span of 4 months and assured that the problems related to ration card holders will be sought out by September, he added. He informed that the Deputy Commissioners have been instructed to pay frequent visits to Taluk centres every week.

Briefing on the security measures taken in the backdrop of recent series of blasts, Mr Yeddyurappa informed that extensive security steps comprising sophisticated weapons and man power has been introduced. “The blasts are planned effort to destabilize the peace and security of the State,” he alleged.

Rs 8.4 cr for rly  station

Mr. Yeddyurappa informed that a project of Rs 8.40 crore to upgrade the Kollur Mookambika Railway station is being taken up and the State Government will pay a sum of Rs 2.10 crore to the Centre for the project.

Besides, a Rs 30 crore plan has been chalked out to remove the affluence from the river Souparnika. At present, the Government would allot Rs 10 crore for the project, he informed.

Home Minister Dr V S Acharya, State BJP President D V Sadananda Gowda, Religious Endowment Minister Krishnaiah Setty, Rural Development Minister Shobha Karandlaje, 3rd Finance Commission Chairman A G Kodgi, Udupi MLA Raghupathy Bhat, MLA Laxminarayan, MLC Kota Srinivas Poojary were present.

Religious tour

As part of the two-day tour, the chief minister and other ministers visited Mookambika temple in Kollur, Sri Krishna Mutt in Udupi, Sri Kshethra Dharmasthala and Kukke Subramanya before he boarded the train to Bangalore on Sunday night.