JOIN USChief Minister Yeddyurappa, in his Independence Day address, after unfurling the national flag, said the initiative to provide civic services under one roof had been successful. Many more such centres would help in reaching out to the large public. He reiterated that the Government would set up similar centres in Mysore, Mangalore, Belgaum, Shimoga and Gulbarga cities as well.
Metro rail
The CM made use of the opportunity to list out the programmes launched by his Government. He said the first phase of Metro rail project would be completed by the end of 2010. The Government had released its share of Rs 1,134 crore towards the project and the Centre had released Rs 370 crore. The fourth stage of the second phase of Cauvery Water Supply scheme was being implemented at a cost of Rs 3,383 crore.
He said that the State faced both flood and drought in the current year. As many as 160 people had died in floods and the total loss was estimated at Rs 517 crore. The State was expecting a relief of Rs 318 crore from the Centre.
Similarly, as many as 20 districts had experienced deficit rainfall and as a result, 86 taluks had been hit by drought conditions. The Government would take relief measures to tackle the situation.
Yeddyurappa said his government would develop centres of integration, identified across the State at the cost of Rs 10 crore.
The centres selected for development include - Fakirswamy Mutt in Shirahatti, Qwaja Aminuddin Dargah of Bijapur, Kodekal Basavanna and Thinthini Mouneshwara of Surpur taluk in Gulbarga district. Yeddyurappa received the guard of honour from various contingents of Armed Forces, Karnataka State Reserve Police, National Cadet Corps and various schools, who took part in the parade.
He handed over a cheque of Rs 5 lakh to Vimala, mother of Sepoy Sudhir Naik, who sacrificed his life during the Kargil war.
Capt Naveen Nagappa, who was injured in the war, received a cheque of Rs 1 lakh from the CM.