From Our Special Correspondent
Daijiworld Media Network - Kalaburagi
Kalaburagi, Sep 17: Karnataka Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa launched a series of developmental programmes, including Rs 3,000 crore agricultural development and drinking water supply project to mark the celebration of the Kalyana Karnataka Utsava on Thursday.
The Chief Minister, who flew to Kalaburagi airport early in the morning en route to his visit to Delhi to participate in the function for the construction of the new Karnataka Bhavan building complex on Friday, garlanded the statue of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel and unfurled the national flag to signal the commencement of the Kalyana Karnataka Utsava.
Deputy Chief Minister Govind M Karjol, who is also the Kalaburagi district in-charge minister, Kalyana Karnataka Regional Development Board President Dattatreya Patil Revoor, MLA, North-East KSRTC Chairman Rajkumar Patil Telkur, Kalyana Karnataka Human Resources, Agricultural and Cultural Society Presidnet Dr Basavaraj PatilSedam, ex-MP, Kalaburagi MP Dr Umesh Jadhav, Sri Nijasharana Ambigara Chowdaiah Corporation President Baburao Chinchanasur, MLAs Dr Ajay Singh, Basavaraj Mattimooda, Dr AvinashJadhav and MLC B G Patil were among the dignitaries who participated in the function.
The Chief Minister, in his speech, said the comprehensive development of the entire Hyderabad-Karnataka region that had been renamed as Kalyana Karnataka by his government was the goal.
"We want to ensure that the entire Hyderabad Karnataka region, which had been neglected and exploited during the Nizam’s rule, comes up in the educational, economical and health parameters and the people of the region, especially the youth were provided with adequate job opportunities," Yediyurappa said.
The Chief Minister said the work on the construction of airports in Kalaburagi and Bidar were in progress and when completed would pave the way for the development of the region by providing air connectivity and also ensure the development of the tourism potential and commercial development and create sufficient employment opportunities in the region.
Yediyurappa launched the Rs 3,000 crore agriculture and drinking water projects along with 10 minor irrigation projects to provide irrigation facilities to the farmers. Rs 197 crore Bennetora drinking water project and another Rs 600 crore drinking water projects were also being taken up.
Work on the construction of the AnubhavaMantapa in Basavakalyan would commence in the next four months, he said.
The Chief Minister declared open the 300-bed Jayadeva Institute of Cardiology in Kalaburagi, which is being developed at a cost of Rs 150 crore in 7.5 acres of land. The State Government has already released Rs 33.37 crore.
Yediyurappa said the State Government has sanctioned Rs 300 crore for the Kalyana Karnataka Regional Development Board for taking up various developmental works in the districts of Kalaburagi, Vijayapura, Bidar, Raichuru, Yadgir and Koppal forming part of the Kalyana Karnataka Region. A sum of Rs 100 crore has already been released, he said.
Deputy Chief Minister Govind M Karjol, who is also heading the Social Welfare Department, said the State Government was committed to the development of the entire Kalyana Karnataka Region.
The Social Welfare Department was running 824 residential schools and over 3000 hostels for the Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe students covering over 4 lakh students.
The Yediyurappa government, which renamed the entire Hyderabad-Karnataka region as Kalyana Karnataka to signal its commitment for the development of the region, was sparing no efforts despite the havoc caused by drought and floods last year leading to an estimated loss of Rs 35,000 crore. The Corona pandemic and the lockdowns along with the heavy floods resulted in economic loss to the tune of Rs 10,000 crore this year.
However, the State Government went out of its way in sanctioning a special economic package costing Rs 2,200 crore to various sections of society affected by the Corona pandemic and consequent lockdowns in addition to the Rs 20 lakh special economic package announced by the Narendra Modi government, he explained.