Road widening in Bandipur will not be allowed: Katti

Food and Civil Supplies and Forest Minister Umesh Katti said he would neither allow road widening nor night traffic in the Bandipur Tiger Reserve "for any reason."

"We will now allow road widening or night traffic in the tiger reserve for any reason," he said.

He was speaking to reporters during his visit to Bandipur, in Gundlupet taluk, Chamarajanagar district, on Thursday.

Also Read | New road project threatens Bandipur tiger reserve

Reacting to the proposal submitted by National Highway Authorities of India on road widening from Melukamanahalli to Kekkanahalla check post, at Bandipur Tiger Reserve, he clarified that a letter has been written to the authorities concerned opposing the same.

PDS supply

Commenting on Leader of Opposition Siddaramaiah's promise of up to 10 kg of free rice if Congress comes to power, Katti said the statements were made for political gains.

"Five kilo rice is sufficient for each person per month. The government is distributing rice sufficient for one person"

Katti also said that the ration has been distributed to 4.1 crore people under the Food Security Scheme. The e-KYC of the ration card holders is 70 per cent complete, and work has been taken up to drop the ineligible names from the list. The surplus amount of ration saved will be known after the e-KYC is totally completed, he replied to a query.

CM aspirant

The minister said that he is a permanent aspirant for the post of CM. "I am 60 years now and I have an opportunity for 15 more years. Let us see what happens in future," he said.