Govt committed to development of coastal region, says CM

Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai said that the state government is committed to achieving comprehensive development of the coastal region.

He was speaking during the BJP workers’ meeting held at Bantawalada Bantara Bhavana in Bantwal on Wednesday.

“The CRZ regulations will be relaxed in order to encourage industries in the region, which will help in the creation of jobs. Measures will be taken for the extension of Mangaluru and Karwar Ports, in order to increase their capacities to carry out trade. Also, the dredging of eight fisheries ports will be taken up this year. Opportunity will be given to small fishermen by providing subsidies for high-speed boats for deep-sea fishing,” he said.

He further said that temple tourism will be developed in the region.

“If the coastal regions are developed, it will immensely contribute to the economy of the state. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has promised to make India a five billion dollar economy. The state government will carry out all efforts to make Karnataka a one billion dollar economy,” he added.

He also said that the issues related to deemed forest, kumki and akrama-sakrama land will be solved soon.

The chief minister called upon the party workers to create awareness of the various welfare programmes of the Central and state governments meant for farmers and financially deprived classes.

Workers are the pillars of the party. The BJP is the largest party with the highest number of elected representatives, he added.

‘Congress is waning’

Congress is waning day by day as it is disconnected from the people. The respect earned by BJP karyakartas is not earned by the senior leaders in the Congress, Bommai said and predicted that in the next Assembly elections in 2023, the BJP will form a full majority government on its own.

“The BJP-led state government has been facing all challenges effectively. But, the opposition has been twisting the facts,” he alleged.

‘BJP to win 150 seats’

Speaking on the occasion, Transport Minister Sriramulu hit out at Opposition leader Siddaramaiah and said that the BJP government is not ‘coriander leaves’ to be uprooted. It is like a huge peepal tree.

His reaction came in the wake of Siddaramaiah saying that the BJP-led state government should be removed.

Sriramulu also predicted that in the next Assembly elections, BJP will win not less than 150 seats.

Energy and Kannada and Culture Minister V Sunil Kumar said that the next elections will be fought on the basis of development.

During its tenure, the Congress government did nothing to solve kumki and deemed forest issues. But, the BJP government has initiated the process to solve these issues, he said.

In the pandemic and floods, it was BJP workers who served the people, he added.

Sunil Kumar called upon the party workers to obtain a list of beneficiaries of government schemes and to prepare Gram Panchayat members for election.

Dakshina Kannada district BJP unit president Sudarshan Moodbidri presided.

MP D V Sadananda Gowda, BJP state vice president Nirmal Kumar Surana, Fisheries Minister S Angara, Higher Education Minister Dr C N Ashwath Narayan and Minister for Social Welfare and Backward Classes Welfare Kota Srinivas Poojary were present, among others.