<p>Basically, the Chief Minister’s 45-minute speech at the Field Marshal Manekshaw Parade Grounds in Bangalore was a department-wise report card sprinkled with announcements and commitments which had already been made or promised. <br /><br />Illegal mining, an issue taken up by the Opposition to mat the government, did figure in his speech. Yeddyurappa devoted a substantial part of his address to reiterate that the government was committed to curb illegal mining and ban export of iron ore. <br /><br />He explained in details the steps taken by the government to conserve the State’s natural wealth and at the same time sought to indirectly blame the Centre for not bringing out a national policy to ban export of iron ore. <br /><br />He painted a rosy picture on the strides taken by every department, be it irrigation, rural development, finance, infrastructure or urban development during the last two years. <br />However, he did admit that there had been delay in implementation of the Asare scheme, the programme to provide housing facilities to the flood victims of North Karnataka. <br /><br />“Several factors have led to delay in this scheme. I assure the victims that the work of providing permanent shelters would be taken up without further delay,” he said. <br />Another admission was that the State was reeling under a severe power crisis. <br /><br />“Karnataka was a power surplus State in the 1970s by generating power in surplus of its requirement. But today the State is facing a shortage of 2,000 MW”, he said. However, in this case, the Chief Minister blamed previous governments for failing to implement new power projects. <br /><br />He reiterated that the government had prepared a new infrastructure blue print for Bangalore at a cost of Rs 18,872 crore. The project would be implemented in the next three years. <br /><br />He said Metro rail will start operation between Byappanahalli and M G Road by the end of the year. Multi-level parking centres would be constructed in various parts of Bangalore. <br />Bangalore Development Authority will spend Rs 1,000 crore to develop 10 signal-free roads, he added. He said the Government had already released Rs 7,000 crore for implementing D M Nanjundappa Committee report on Regional Imbalances and would earmark Rs 10,000 crore for the next five years.<br /></p>
<p>Basically, the Chief Minister’s 45-minute speech at the Field Marshal Manekshaw Parade Grounds in Bangalore was a department-wise report card sprinkled with announcements and commitments which had already been made or promised. <br /><br />Illegal mining, an issue taken up by the Opposition to mat the government, did figure in his speech. Yeddyurappa devoted a substantial part of his address to reiterate that the government was committed to curb illegal mining and ban export of iron ore. <br /><br />He explained in details the steps taken by the government to conserve the State’s natural wealth and at the same time sought to indirectly blame the Centre for not bringing out a national policy to ban export of iron ore. <br /><br />He painted a rosy picture on the strides taken by every department, be it irrigation, rural development, finance, infrastructure or urban development during the last two years. <br />However, he did admit that there had been delay in implementation of the Asare scheme, the programme to provide housing facilities to the flood victims of North Karnataka. <br /><br />“Several factors have led to delay in this scheme. I assure the victims that the work of providing permanent shelters would be taken up without further delay,” he said. <br />Another admission was that the State was reeling under a severe power crisis. <br /><br />“Karnataka was a power surplus State in the 1970s by generating power in surplus of its requirement. But today the State is facing a shortage of 2,000 MW”, he said. However, in this case, the Chief Minister blamed previous governments for failing to implement new power projects. <br /><br />He reiterated that the government had prepared a new infrastructure blue print for Bangalore at a cost of Rs 18,872 crore. The project would be implemented in the next three years. <br /><br />He said Metro rail will start operation between Byappanahalli and M G Road by the end of the year. Multi-level parking centres would be constructed in various parts of Bangalore. <br />Bangalore Development Authority will spend Rs 1,000 crore to develop 10 signal-free roads, he added. He said the Government had already released Rs 7,000 crore for implementing D M Nanjundappa Committee report on Regional Imbalances and would earmark Rs 10,000 crore for the next five years.<br /></p>
