JOIN USState gives Rs 5 crore aid to quake hit Nepal
Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, on Saturday, said, the State government has extended a relief of Rs five crore to the quake-hit Nepal.
Speaking to media persons, on his arrival at Hotel Lalith Mahal Palace helipad, here, the chief minister said, a cheque for Rs 5 crore was handed over recently. All the tourists from Karnataka, who were stranded in Nepal, have been brought back home safely by a team of officials, he said.
On his recent meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi at Delhi, the chief minister said: “I have appealed to the prime minister to convene a meeting of all chief ministers to arrive at a consensus on the medium of instruction in primary education. The meeting is essential to effect an amendments to the Constitution. The prime minister also endorsed the stand of the State government in this regard”.
On the recent decision of the Centre to develop 100 smart cities in the country, the chief minister said, the State government is yet to table its opinion on identifying the cities for the project.
He attributed the compulsory retirement of IAS officer Vijaykumar to the recommendation of the Centre.
Small is beautiful
When media persons drew his attention towards former chief minister S M Krishna’s comment against the proposed trifurcation of Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP), the chief minister said: “Always, small is beautiful, to deliver administration effectively and in a transparent manner. The decision was taken based on the recommendations of an expert committee. The boundary of BBMP has grown faster, reaching a population of 1.10 crore and expanding up to 800 square km against the fewer population occupying 226 km of area in the year 2007. By the year 2040, the population may touch two crore.
Periodical review!
On S M Krishna’s opinion to review the performance of the State government that is set to complete two years soon, Siddaramaiah said, “The party has been reviewing the government’s performance periodically. He (Krishna) may be aware of it or not, but the party is doing it”. The chief minister asked the media to stop reading between the lines on Krishna’s opinion on ‘Anna Bhagya’ scheme, as it the continuation of the Congress’ ‘garibi hatao’ programme.
Rashmi wanted transfer
To another question on the transfer of IAS officer Rashmi V Mahesh, who was the Director General of the Administrative Training Institute (ATI), from Mysuru to Bengaluru, the chief minister said “The officer herself had requested for a transfer”.