As we enter 2024, The New Indian Express decided to ask some leading personalities what they wish for in 2024 or what their foremost plans in the new year would be. What they shared carries positivity for 2024, an attempt to improve...
Siddaramaiah & DK Shivakumar:
The dual combo ensured Congress’ victory in the Assembly polls, giving the Grand Old Party hope in other states as well as the Lok Sabha polls. Now, all eyes are on the Chief Minister and the Deputy Chief Minister, who have the demanding task of ensuring that Congress does well in AICC president Mallikarjun Kharge’s home state. In the 2019 Lok Sabha polls the party won just one out of 28 seats. Although national issues will dominate the Lok Sabha polls, in Karnataka it will also be like a people’s verdict on the Siddaramaiah government’s guarantee schemes.
S Somanath: Under the leadership of Chairman
S Somanath, Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) left the entire country awestruck by the success of the space agency in 2023. However, the dynamic young mind is not over the moon yet. Recently, Somanath announced that the space agency will look at a ‘sample return mission’ to bring back rocks from the Moon. His other plans include sending an Indian astronaut to the International Space Station by the end of 2024 in collaboration with NASA. In total, ISRO saw nine launch missions being successful including commercial launches-truly a new age for space in India.
HD Deve Gowda & HD Kumaraswamy:
Janata Dal (Secular) has forged an alliance with BJP for the Lok Sabha polls. Former Prime Minister HD Deve Gowda and his son and former CM HD Kumaraswamy are now part of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA). The JDS is likely to contest from Vokkaliga-dominated seats in the Old Mysuru region. The LS poll performance will be crucial for the regional party’s future.
Sumalatha: Actor-turned politician, Sumalatha, wife of late actor Ambareesh, is the one politician to look for in the 2024 General Elections. After she won as an Independent in 2019 from the Mandya constituency, she extended her support to the BJP in the 2023 Assembly elections. Now due to the alliance between BJP-JD(S), it is still unclear if Sumalatha will get a ticket from the saffron party. As JD(S) is firm on fielding its candidate from the Mandya constituency, all eyes are set on what will be her next move- whether she will give away the seat to contest from one of the three constituencies in Bengaluru (North, Central and South) or will she again contest as an Independent candidate from Mandya.
Third Eye (@3rdEyeDude):
A social media account named ‘Third Eye’ has become viral among netizens. The page which is said to be run by an anonymous Bengaluru techie and a YouTuber has been posting on traffic violations, road rage incidents, ruthless driving, driving on footpaths, helmetless riders, dangerous wheeling and others which are recorded by himself and also sent to him by his followers.
Dr CN Manjunath:
Having served Sri Jayadeva Institute of Cardiovascular Research and Science for more than two decades in various capacities, Director CN Manjunath is set to retire on January 31, 2024. Post retirement he is open to join any institution and continue his service in cardiac care. He will work on a 'price flexible model' and ensure poor
and lower middle class get treatment at discount rates.
Dinesh Gundu Rao:
All eyes will be on Health Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao in 2024. As JN.1 Covid-19 cases are increasing with every passing day and the state recording some deaths, the focus is back on the health department. The department has learnt many lessons during the earlier Covid-19 waves. It is now watching the rising cases, ramping up testing and keeping hospitals ready. After the detection of the female foetus abortion racket, the pressure is on Rao to ensure no cases are reported in 2024.
BY Vijayendra, Karnataka BJP president
Viksit Bharat is not just a statement. Prime Minister Narendra Modi really believes in that dream to see India as a developed nation by 2047. If India has to really emerge as a developed nation, Karnataka’s role is very important. I hope this government moves in the right direction and with the right intent to support this cause, keeping politics aside. The Congress government in the state and the Chief Minister should think about the country first rather than petty politics. The country matters and Karnataka matters a lot.
Gaurav Gupta, Additional Chief Secretary
Energy projects are important for the growth of the country. The power sector projects are medium to long gestation projects and they need good planning. After a lull in the Covid period, we have seen a strong increase in power demand this year and timely measures have been taken to see more power is available. For future years we are working intensively to ensure more power in the field of generation and transmission so as to ensure full power availability to the state. Nothing can be done immediately but we are hoping to work continuously to achieve it.
BS Patil, Lokayukta Justice
Through Lokayukta we want to ensure maladministration is removed and there is good governance. Whether it is hospitals, hostels, schools, colleges, lakes, removal of encroachments or waste disposal or other areas, there should be zero corruption and maladministration, that is the ultimate vision of the institutions and the need for the society. This is what the Lokayukta has been set up for and is needed for a healthy society.
B Dayanand, Bengaluru City Police Commissioner
A road map for 2024 has been chalked out.
Police stations being temples of justice should always live up to protect the interests of most vulnerable sections of society — poor, women and other weaker sections — rather than yielding to rich and powerful, as is the perception now. There is a plan to enhance the capability of policemen, especially at police stations, to tackle cyber crimes. Our war on drugs will continue, including creating awareness among youth with ‘Police Marshals’ programme. The number of CCTV cameras will also be increased in public spaces from the present 2.3 lakh to 5 lakh by the end of 2024. Safe and secure Bengaluru by professionally competent process-driven policing is our goal for 2024.
D Randeep, Health Commissioner
We would aim to improve the quality of services across all public health facilities by using the unique implementation models. Introduction of digital tools will also help improve governing practices. Health Department will also work to see enhanced and timely access to free drugs at public health facilities, in view of fast track and effective procurement process and also enable reach of essential drugs to people’s doorstep, through the proposed new scheme of Gruha Arogya. The aim for Year 2024 is also for establishing a revamped 108 emergency ambulance service, 104 Arogya Sahayavani (helpline).
Manoj Kumar Meena, State Election Commissioner
Since we will be moving to the New Year and more importantly the General Election year in 2024, as a State Election Commission, our big accomplishment would be increasing the voting percentage during the Lok Sabha polls in areas like Kalyan Karnataka and BBMP region, where voting percentage was low. In Kalyan Karnataka, our average was around 50-60%, however, we registered 68% during the 2023 Assembly elections and hope to retain the improvement in
Lok Sabha polls. In BBMP region 56.98% was registered. We will intensify voters’ awareness and aim for 100%, that will be a significant achievement.
Anbu Kumar, KSRTC Managing Director
In 2024, our focus will be on passenger welfare and as the year progresses, one by one will be accomplished. We wish to add around 1,500 categories across all the sectors — ordinary, express, point- to- point and premium buses. Passengers will get to use technology to check the exact location of the bus, book tickets and other options that will help them save a lot of time. They will be able to buy tickets through UPI and ATM cards along with other measures that will make their rides comfortable.
Dr MC Sudhakar, Higher Education Minister
There are several priorities for the next year with skill being at the centre of it. As we know skill is the order of the day. In the coming days, we will have a group of ministers from departments such as Skill Development, Medical Education, Information Technology and Bio-Technology and Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) to discuss how the youth can be upskilled. We want to focus on the employability factor of education.
N Jayaram, BDA Commissioner
We will be implementing crucial projects that matter much to the City. BDA’s Master Plan, which lays the blueprint for development of Bengaluru City, will be ready in the coming year. Tenders for the Rs 21,091 crore Peripheral Ring Road project that aims to decongest Bengaluru by encircling it for 73-km will be out and work will also begin. Early in January, we will issue a notification for allotment of sites in Dr Shivarama Karanth Layout, where 30,000 sites will be allotted.