CM to inaugurate, initiate Rs 247 cr works in 3 constituencies tomorrow

Chief Minister Siddaramaiah will inaugurate and lay foundation stones for 34 works worth Rs 247 crore in three Assembly constituencies in the district during his visit on Sunday (December 24).

Inauguration and foundation stone laying function will be held at APMC premises at Kundgol at 10:30 am (Kundgol constituency), at YSSC ground at Gangadhar Nagar at Settlement in Hubballi at 1:00 pm (Hubballi-Dharwad East constituency), and at Garag village at 4:00 pm (Dharwad constituency).

'Sadhana Sambhrama' booklet about development works taken up in the district in last four-and-a-half years, and booklets having taluk-wise details will also be distributed at these functions.

Deputy Commissioner S B Bommanahalli told media persons here on Friday that title-deeds, cheques, materials, work orders, and sanction orders would also be distributed to selected beneficiaries of various government schemes.

The works for which foundation stones will be laid, and works to be inaugurated include  drinking water supply project, residential schools, farm ponds, fire station, tank filling work, primary health centre, road development and police quarters in Kundgol constituency, reconstruction of hospital, garden, sewage treatment plant, road development and drainage works in Hubballi-Dharwad East constituency, and sewage treatment plant, Yatri Nivas, ITI, tank filling work, streetlights, road development and police quarters in Dharwad (rural) constituency.

The chief minister would lay foundation stone and inaugurate 13 works worth Rs 134 crore in Kundgol, six works worth Rs 51 crore in Hubballi, and 15 works worth Rs 62 crore at in Dharwad.

Social Welfare Minister's Parliamentary Secretary C S Shivalli, MLA Prasad Abbayya and District In-charge Minister Vinay Kulkarni would preside over the function to be held at Kundgol, Hubballi, and Garag respectively, Mr Bommanahalli noted.

Govt programme

"It is a government programme, and guests are invited as per the protocol. Ministers of concerned departments and all people's representatives in the district are being invited, while precautions would be taken that local politicians do not deliver political speeches," the DC clarified.

When asked why only those constituencies being represented by Congress MLAs are selected for the programme, he noted that the chief minister himself has decided the places where the programme has to be organised.

Preparations are in the final stage, while concerned departments are spending for the function. Food is being arranged using local resources, he added.

In reply to a query about the Rs 90 crore yet to be disbursed to farmers in the district under Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY) for 2016 kharif, he noted that the committee formed to look into the objections raised by insurance companies has submitted its report to the government, and the pending amount is expected to be disbursed in two weeks.

He also expressed confidence that release of pending pension grants to the Hubballi-Dharwad Municipal Corporation (HDMC), and the proposal to improve bulk water supply from Malaprabha reservoir would get government approval soon.

Zilla Panchayat (ZP) Chief Executive Officer Snehal Rayamane, Superintendent of Police G Sangeetha, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Law & Order) Renuka Sukumar, and others were present.

Mayor not to receive CM

Meanwhile, Mayor D K Chavan, the first citizen of Hubballi-Dharwad, will not receive Chief Minister Siddaramaiah during his visit to the City on Sunday (December 24), in protest against not releasing Rs 120 crore pending pension grants to the Hubballi-Dharwad Municipal Corporation (HDMC).

"The issue was brought to the notice of the government repeatedly, and the assurance to release pending grants is not yet fulfilled. The HDMC is in financial crisis due to this and development works are not being taken up," Mr Chavan said.