State 'not cooperating' with Union government on development projects: BJP

The BJP has accused the Congress government in Karnataka of carrying out a “non-cooperation movement” against the Centre in implementing the latter’s developmental projects and schemes in the State. 

Several projects and initiatives of the Central government have been stalled in Karnataka due to “non-cooperation” from the State government. Whether it is the proposed suburban rail network for Bengaluru, the gas-based power plant at Bidadi near Bengaluru, the Bidar-Gulbarga railway line, setting up a fertilizer plant or opening generic medicine shops, the State government hasn’t been showing any interest, Union Minister of Chemicals and Fertilizers H N Ananth Kumar told reporters here on Sunday. 

The previous UPA government “hadn’t shown any interest” in implementing the suburban rail project in Bengaluru though the then BJP government in Karnataka was “keen” on it, he maintained. Now that the NDA government is ready to take it up, the State government is “not interested”.  Further, it has been over two years since a bulk gas pipeline was laid from Dabhol in Maharashtra to Bidadi but the State government “hasn’t taken any step” to expedite the tender process to set up the power-generation plant, he stressed. 

Similarly, he said, the Bidar-Gulbarga railway project has been delayed as the State government is “dilly-dallying” on acquiring land for the purpose. Besides, the Centre has come forward to set up a fertilizer-manufacturing plant and asked the State to identify a suitable location and give 500 acres of land. But “nothing has been done yet”. The State government is also “reluctant” to sign an agreement with the Centre for opening generic medicine shops to provide medicine to people at affordable prices, Kumar said. 

One-year celebrations Meanwhile, the BJP would celebrate one year of the Narendra Modi government as ‘Jankalyana Parva’ between May 26 and 31. For the occasion, public rallies have been planned at 200 places and ‘jan sabhas’ at 5,000 places across the country to educate people about the “achievements” of the government. In Bengaluru, only a simple event has been scheduled for May 26 as the model code of conduct for gram panchayat elections is in force. Union Minister for Communication and Information Technology, Ravi Shankar Prasad, will take part in the Bengaluru event, he added.