BENGALURU: Governor Vajubhai Vala on Thursday asked legislators to cooperate with the State Government in taking innovative measures to tide over current challenges and make Karnataka the “Number One state” in the country. Addressing the joint session of legislature, the Governor appreciated various initiatives taken by the government, amid protests by opposition Congress members.
As soon as the Governor started his address, Congress legislators, holding placards, raised slogans accusing the government of neglecting North Karnataka region, and not holding the winter session of state legislature in Belagavi.
Listing out the government’s achievements, including measures taken to fight the Covid-19 pandemic, provide compensation to those hit by floods, and initiatives to attract investors, Vala said the government has approved 366 projects with an investment potential of `53,295 crore, aimed at generating 1.54 lakh jobs during the year.
The new Industrial Policy 2020-2025 has been introduced to maintain industrial growth rate of 10 per cent per annum, attract investment of Rs 5 lakh crore and create employment opportunities for 20 lakh people, he noted. Vala said the State Government has accorded high priority for completion of ongoing Metro Rail works. “Phase 2 and Phase 2A are under progress and it is aimed to have 75 km of Metro Rail line by 2022. Automatic fare collection system using ‘One Nation, One Card’ will be set up by Bengaluru Metro Rail Corporation Limited and Bangalore Metropolitan Transport Corporation this year,” he said.
Stating that the Centre, in partnership with the State government, has approved the Bengaluru Suburban Rail Project at a cost of Rs 15,767 crore to ease traffic congestion in the city, Vala said the government has made use of the Smart City Mission to ensure that 162 projects costing `400 crore are completed, and 345 projects costing Rs 6,233 crore are under progress in seven smart cities.
Vala said the government has launched a special internship drive, on the lines of NITI Aayog, to seek innovative solutions from postgraduate young minds, and 35 assignments have been completed while
50 are in progress. “Despite the current challenges, my government has collected `30,467 crore through commercial taxes and Rs 16,788 crore through the excise department, to ensure smooth funding of development programmes,” he added.