From Our Special Correspondent
Daijiworld Media Network
New Delhi, Sep 18: Karnataka Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa called on Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi on Friday September 18 morning and discussed various developmental issues pertaining to the State.
The meeting, which lasted for 15 minutes at the Parliament House, had many appeals, pleas and requests.
The Chief Minister appealed to the Prime Minister to expedite the release of funds from National Disaster Response Fund.
Yediyurappa urged the Prime Minister to revise the items and norms of assistance from State Disaster Response Fund or National Disaster Response Fund for the current year itself to ensure timely and adequate financial assistance to the distressed people.
He also demanded that the Centre should declare Upper Krishna Project Stage-III and Upper Bhadra Project as National Projects and provide suitable financial assistance to Karnataka.
The Chief Minister requested the Prime Minister to take necessary action for early approvals and clearances for irrigation and drinking water projects including Mekedatu and Kalasa BanduriNala to utilise the precious water resources allocated to the State.
Yediyurappa extended a warm invitation to Modi to inaugurate Bengaluru Tech Summit on November 19 on a virtual mode.
The Chief Minister, who has already called on Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Thursday, said he would meet various other ministers on the needs for the development of Karnataka.
Earlier, he launched the construction work on the Karnataka Bhavan 1, Cauvery, at a cost of Rs 120 crore.
The construction work comprising two basement floors, ground floors and six upper floors is being built by Balaji Krupa Projects. The 9-storeyed building is expected to be completed in 24 months.
CM refutes allegation on Vijayendra working as Super CM
Speaking to reporters after the function, the Chief Minister dismissed the allegation of former Chief Minister and Congress Opposition leader in the Assembly Siddaramaiah that his son B Y Vijayendra was working as a "Super CM’’ and made it clear that Vijayendra was actively working as the State BJP Vice President. "My son is not interfering in the work or functioning the State Government,’’ he asserted.
The Chief Minister sought to downplay the speculations over former Chief Minister and State JD(S) President H D Kumarawamy’s recent meeting with him in Bengaluru and said the JD(S) leader had called on him as one of the important leaders in the Opposition.
"Leaders of all political parties keep meeting me on issues pertaining to the State’s development and also their constituencies. Therefore, there is no need to attach any political significance with Kumaraswamy’s meeting with me,’’ he clarified.
Chief Secretary T M Vijayabhaskar, Chief Minister’s Additional Chief Secretary Dr E V Ramana Reddy and Karnataka Bhavan’s Resident Commissioner Dr Sandeep Dave were present.
Deputy Chief Minister Govind M Karjol, who is also heading the Public Works and Social Welfare Department, Union Fertilisers Minister D V Sadananda Gowda, Union Minister for Mines, Geology and Parliamentary Affairs Prahlad Joshi, Anna SahebJolle, P C Gaddigoudar, Dr Umesh Jadhav, BhagawantKhooba, KaradiSanganna, B Y Raghavendra, A Narayanaswamy, G S Basavaraju, PratapSimha, P C Mohan, Tejaswi Surya and S Muniswamy, all MPs, and Karnataka’s Special Representative in Delhi ShankaragoudaPatil and many other dignitaries participated in the function.
The Chief Minister called on Union Minister for Petroleum,National Gas and Steel Dharmendra Pradhan at Udyog Bhawan in New Delhi on Friday afternoon and requested to expedite the process of disinvestment of the Visvesvaraya Iron and Steel Limited.
CM Condoles death of Journalist Nagaraj Dixit
The Chief Minister has expressed his condolences at the demise of senior journalist Nagaraj Dixit, who had earlier worked in Janavahini Kannada daily as well as Janashree and TV 9 Kannada TV channels.