KITTUR: A mega industrial township will be established at a 1000-acre land in the historic Kittur town near Belagavi where the government will provide jobs to at least 50,000 youths, said Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai.
On making the announcement, the CM said, the government will soon launch the work of setting up the industrial township. Inaugurating Kitturotsava, a festival celebrated every year in memory of the war waged by Rani Chennamma of Kittur against the British, Bommai said on Monday evening at Kittur that the process of acquisition of lands to lay a railway line between Belagavi and Dharwad via Kittur had already begun.
"We are going to give a sweet news to the people with regard to the implementation of Upper Krishna Project (UKP phase-3). The government is also committed to implementing Kalsa-Banduri project. Soon, the project is expected to take off,'' he said.
Much against a blind belief that the Chief Ministers of the state would quit their seat if they attended Kitturotsava, the CM said he had broken the jinx by attending Kitturotsava for the second time in a row.
Ambedkar, Chennamma statue st SVS
The foundation stones to the statues of Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar and Rani Chennamma would be laid at the premises of Suvarna Vidhan Soudha in Belagavi next month (November), said Bommai. ``Not only we (BJP government) will lay foundation to the two statues at SVS but we will also unveil the statues during our tenure in the state,'' he assured.
The CM said a replica of Kittur palace would be established adjacent to the Kittur fort by getting the farmers' land acquired by taking the latter into confidence, he said, adding that the government had deposited Rs 27 crore with Kittur Development Authority for the development of the ruined Kittur fort. For the establishment of the Kittur palace replica, the CM said, his government set aside Rs 115 crore in the budget.
Highlighting the benefits of the government-sponsored Vidyanidhi Project for the children of farmers and agriculture labourers, Bommai held a discussion with several students benefited under the project on the occasion.
Rani Chennamma first woman to fight British
On the occasion, Bommai said, Rani Laxmibai of Jhansi fought the British in 1857 but prior to that Kittur Rani Chennamma had waged a war against the British in 1824. "The government will initiate measures to include information about the historical fact that Rani Chennamma was the first woman to fight against the British in the pages of history,'' CM said.
Explaining about the war which Chennamma had waged against the British, Bommai said, the bravery and sacrifice for the country's freedom had been an inspiration for all even after 200 years.