BENGALURU: Urban Development Minister BA Basavaraj said that the department will take measures to ensure that various works under the Smart City project in seven cities of the state will be completed within five years.
Replying to a question by MLCs Ivan D’Souza and N Appaji Gowda in the Upper House on Tuesday, the minister said that he had visited three cities out of seven cities selected under the project. The MLCs said that nothing new was being done under the project, and that it should not be limited to asphalting and drainage works. D’Souza also showed a picture and said that Rs 14 lakh was spent for a bus stop in Mangaluru under the project, and demanded that funds granted under the scheme be used judiciously.
Minister Basavaraj said that Rs 2,303 crore was granted for the project.
“It will be ensured that the grants released will be completely utilised and also works will be completed within five years. I will hold a meeting with all public representatives selected under the project soon.”
Meanwhile, members expressed their anger against officials of the Municipal Administration, Horticulture and Sericulture departments, after minister K Narayanagowda did not provide them with complete details for the questions they had asked. BJP MLC Ayanur Manjunath urged the Chairman to warn the bureaucrats for not taking the Upper House seriously and not providing adequate details to ministers. Several other members supported him and criticised the attitude of the officials.
Congress MLC PR Ramesh asked Cooperation minister ST Somashekhar whether there was provision to put the details of criminal cases against elected members of cooperative societies and institutions on the internet. As the minister said there was no such provision, Ramesh said that the Supreme Court had ordered to publish the criminal antecedents of candidates contesting for elections.
“It is very much required to cleanse the political system and even the Cooperation department should follow it.” he added.