Lobo projecting smart city programme as his own: Kateel

Mangaluru South MLA J R Lobo has been projecting the smart city programme as that of the state government and making it appear that he got the project sanctioned for Mangaluru, MP Nalin Kumar Kateel said.

Briefing reporters at the BJP Mangaluru South election office at Kodialbail in Mangaluru on Thursday, he said that the Mangaluru South MLA has been portraying the smart city project as his own in the list of achievements. In reality, smart city programme is the brainchild of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Both the Central and the state governments contribute funds to the project. While the central government has sanctioned Rs 216 crore towards the projects under smart city in the first phase, the state government is still dilly-dallying for the implementation of the works. He said that even though he was the MP of the region, he has not been invited for a single meeting of the Special Purpose Vehicle towards smart city.

A sum of Rs 200 crore was sanctioned towards road development works during the BJP regime in the state. But, the Congress took the entire credit during the inauguration of roadworks. During the Congress tenure, only Rs 59 crore was released towards the road works and no additional funds were sanctioned because of the cold war between the district in-charge minister and Mangaluru South MLA. Also, the Rs 185.52 crore funds sanctioned by the Central government towards Amrit project have not been utilised properly, the MP said.

“The state government has not handed over land for the extension of Mangaluru runway and has not approved the proposal for the land towards world class railway station. This is because the Congress government is fearing that the credit would go to the Central government. The narrow mindset of the Congress-led state government is hindering development works,” he added.

District BJP vice-president Ravishankar Mijar, leader Rukmaya Poojary, corporators Premanand Shetty and Roopa D Bangera were present.