State to bear half of local train project cost
Captive power plant needed to handle power crisis in City
The State government has conveyed its willingness to the Centre to bear half of the total cost of the proposed Rs 1,000-crore local train service project in Bangalore, said Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa.
Inaugurating projects in connection with the Cauvery Water Supply IV Stage II Phase at Banashankari, on Thursday, he said, “A letter has been sent to the Union Railway Minister Mamata Banerjee informing that the State was willing to invest Rs 500 crore for the project.”
The amount will be sanctioned immediately and steps will be taken to kick-start the project soon, he added.
The State is deliberating on the need for a captive power plant to tackle the power crisis and facilitate water supply to the City. The government is charting out plans considering the State’s power requirement in the next 20 to 25 years. The State aims to become self-sufficient in power supply in two to three years, elaborated the chief minister.
Yeddyurappa also announced the government’s plan to spend Rs five crore annually towards Nadaprabhu Kempa Gowda Habba.
The Reach-I of Metro Rail would become operational by December 2010. The State government will pursue the Akrama-Sakrama Scheme, as it stands to garner a revenue of Rs 10,000 crore in two years time with the implementation of the scheme, added the chief minister.
Storage tanks
In the State budget provision will be made for big storage tanks in the City, said BWSSB Minister Katta Subramanya Naidu. “Rainwater can be stored in these tanks for two months and used for varied purposes,” he said.
The City received water to the tune of 1,225 million litres per day (MLD) and the daily requirement will shoot up to 2,000 MLD of water by 2050. Hence, plans are being charted to ensure that Bangalore’s northern and western parts do not suffer from water scarcity, said the minister.
Work in the ten sewage treatment plants will be completed within 18 months. The strength of BWSSB has increased with the recruitment of 1,000 people recently, he added.
Inauguration of Cauvery Water Supply IV Stage II Phase marks the fulfilment of a long cherished dream, said Transport Minister R Ashok.
DH News Service
