Addressing a press meet during his maiden visit to the City after his appointment as Minister of State for Railways here on Sunday, Muniyappa said that the work on broadguage line between Kolar and Chikkaballapur will be completed in a span of eight months. Special efforts will be made to provide employment opportunities for the locals during setting up of new industries in the district.
Dismissing the allegations that raw deal has been meted out to the State in allotting railway projects, Muniyappa said that all the States submit hundreds of proposals to the Centre seeking projects and not all the proposal secure the nod. The State too has submitted as many as 118 proposals. The projects will be implemented in the State on a priority basis.
Meeting on stalled projects
Work on few railway projects in the State has come to standstill. A meeting of the Chief Minister and the Union government officials will be called to obtain information and sort out the roadblocks, if any, to restart the work on stalled projects, he said.
Muniyappa arrived to the City to a warm welcome. Immediately after reaching Kolar from Bangalore, Muniyappa went to Methodist Church, St Mary Church, Nelagangamma temple, a Darga near Clock Tower, Kannikaparameshwari temple, Venkataramana temple in Doddapete, Beereshwara temple in Kurubarapete and lastly to Saibaba temple. He was later taken in a procession on a open jeep.
There was a vociferous demand by Congress leaders who had assembled for the occasion to expel “opportunists and betrayers” who worked against the official candidate during Lok Sabha elections.
Demand for expulsion
Elected representatives including legislators Amaresh, M Narayanaswamy, V Muniyappa, V R Sudarshan, District Congress Committee president Bisegowda and others who spoke at a function to welcome Muniyappa exhorted the party leadership to expel partymen who worked against the organisation for anti-party activities. “Such a measure will usher in discipline in the party. Grassroot workers find it difficult to work in the presence of such elements,” they appealed.
Responding to the passionate plea, Muniyappa said that while 10 pc stood against the party, 90pc voted for Congress. “We have to focus on the latter category to set things right,” he felt.
Muniyappa said that committees will be constituted at the booth-level to feel the pulse of people and programmes will be organised on the recommendation of such committees. He declared that he would visit the hoblis at least once in a year.
The Union minister had arranged sumptuous dinner for the party workers at his newly-constructed house in KHB colony.
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