MP Captain Brijesh Chowta, five BJP MLAs, and MLC Kishore Kumar Puttur walked out of the quarterly Karnataka Development Programme Review Committee meeting on Monday accusing the State government of not sanctioning funds for development works in Dakshina Kannada.
Raising the issue, Belthangady MLA Harish Poonja said in the last two years Dakshina Kannada has been battered with heavy rains leading to potholes on main roads and weakening school buildings. So far government has not released a special grant for filling potholes and repairing school buildings. Not a single penny has been released for the Coastal Development Authority. Construction of Ambedkar Bhavan in his constituency at a cost of ₹8 crore has been stopped, he alleged.
Mangaluru city north MLA Y. Bharath Shetty said the government has so far not released grants for the replacement of wooden planks in the vented dams. The government has failed to address basic problems resulting from heavy rains, he alleged.
Mangaluru city south MLA D. Vedavyas Kamath said the State government has failed to continue with the development works in Mangaluru, which were started by the earlier BJP government as part of ‘Nagara Vikasa Yojane’. Mr. Kamath accused the government of abruptly stopping the work of construction of halls for different backward communities in Dakshina Kannada.
Accusing District in charge Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao of failing to get any funds from government for Dakshina Kannada, Mr. Kamath said government has to clarify as to why funds are not getting released for works of the district, which was contributing handsomely to the growth of Karnataka’s economy.
When Mr. Rao said he was ready to give details of the grants, the BJP MLAs and MLC refused to listen to the Minister. There was a heated exchange of words between BJP legislators and Congress MLC Ivan D’Souza. Soon after, the BJP Legislators and the MP walked out of the meeting.
The Minster then said Chief Minister Siddaramaiah had announced releasing of over ₹6,000 crore to Karnataka for different infrastructure works, including ₹2,000 crore for rain relief works. Six damaged bridges in the district have been restored, he said.
The Minister directed the district cooperation department to place in the next KDP meeting details of the number of farmers who have received loan of ₹5 lakh at zero per cent interest.
District Health and Family Welfare Officer H.R. Thimmiah said land has been identified for the construction of health sub-centres in 43 places in Mangaluru, 34 in Bantwal, 24 in Puttur, 27 in Sullia, and 29 in Belthangady taluks. Tenders have been floated for construction of 17 health sub-centres. Land is yet to be identified for 22 sub-centres in Mangaluru, nine in Bantwal, five in Puttur, and two in Sullia, he said.
Published – December 23, 2024 09:58 pm IST