JOIN USChief Minister D V Sadananda Gowda on Friday said the Centre had given its in-principle approval to rename Bengaluru International Airport (BIA) after Kempegowda.
Shrugging off requests from a few citizens, who barged onto the stage, to announce Kempegowda Day as a government holiday, Gowda said: “It was under my leadership that the government took a decision to rename the international airport after Kempegowda. Today, I have received intimation that the Centre has decided to give its in-principle approval to the proposal.”
According to Gowda, Civil Aviation Minister Ajit Singh has been informed about the proposal through External Affairs Minister S M Krishna. “We expect the Centre to give its sanction in its next Cabinet meeting,” he said.
Unveiling a one-tonne bronze statue of Nadaprabhu Kempegowda at Kempegowda Nagar, Gowda said the request to declare Kempegowda Day as a State holiday would be considered.
“I will definitely take up the matter of declaring Kempegowda’s birth anniversary as a state holiday. You (people) must remember that it was my government that initiated celebrations on Kempegowda Day through a government order,” he said.
Member of Parliament from Bangalore South, Ananth Kumar, who was also present on the occasion, said the City had grown leaps and bounds over the years and it needed more impetus for development.
“While the Centre has given the three metropolises - Mumbai, Chennai and Kolkata - additional grants under JnNURM-II, Bangalore has been ignored.
“We will ask the Centre to release additional grants to the tune of Rs 5,500 crore for the City under the same scheme,” he said.
Ambarish, actor and former MP from Mandya, blamed the people for not utilising government welfare schemes.
“Perhaps, people are still not aware of the welfare schemes announced by successive state governments. For the City to grow along the lines of what Kempegowda had envisaged, we need to ask for our rights,” he said to a thunderous applause.
Kempegowda awards
As many as 50 people were honoured with Nadaprabhu Kempegowda awards for their contributions in various fields.
The chief minister, after conferring the awards, said the citizens of Bangalore need to give importance to the cleanliness of the City.
“Bangalore City generates over 5,000 metric tonnes of garbage every day and the Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) is managing to dispose up to 30 per cent only,” Sadananda Gowda said, adding that the rest is the responsibility of every individual.
Gowda said the request by the BBMP corporators for installing Kempegowda statue on the premises of Vidhana Soudha and Vikasa Soudha would be considered in due course of time.
To commemorate 500 years of the existence of Bangalore City, a grand celebration will be planned, he added.
Shivajinagar MLA Roshan Baig demanded the government to set up eight-ten food courts across the City or to permit the hotels remain open till late in the night, in order to enable a better night life for the m iddle class.
“There are many belonging to the lower middle class and the poor who struggle to eat outside after a long day of work. The government should consider setting up food courts across the City,” he added.
IPL tickets
On differences between the Palike and the Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA) over the tickets for IPL cricket matches, Home Minister R Ashoka, speaking on the occasion, said he would convene a meeting of both the parties to settle the dispute.
The BBMP corporators had demanded 450 IPL tickets while the Association had offered only 200 tickets.
Fans breach security, meet Ambarish
A star-struck young girl broke through the chief minister’s security ring and barged onto the stage to shake hands with her hero, actor Ambarish. The girl, in her early 20s, waited for nearly 10 minutes before jumping onto the stage while Chief Minister Sadananda Gowda was addressing the gathering.
However, Ambarish was more than happy to meet the gushing fan. Soon after, a six-year-old boy too went up to Ambarish to get a photograph clicked with him. The chief minister also obliged and posed for the cameras.