MM Hills (CHAMARAJANAGAR DISTRICT): Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah chaired a cabinet meeting at Male Mahadeshwara Hills (MM Hills) in Chamarajanagar district on Thursday. The cabinet approved projects worth Rs 3,647.62 crore focusing on sectors like irrigation, health, infrastructure, and tourism. As many as 78 issues were discussed and decisions taken, with a focus mainly on the Old Mysuru region. The cabinet also decided to strive to remove the backward district tag attached to Chamarajanagar.
Siddaramaiah’s home district of Mysuru, too, got a slew of projects, including land acquisition for the expansion of the runway at Mysuru airport, white-topping of roads, and an international cricket stadium in Yelawala on the outskirts of the city. Further, the government will grant Rs 70 crore to construct a polytechnic building.
Briefing the media after the cabinet meeting, Siddaramaiah disputed the claim made by the opposition that there were no funds for development. “The opposition should know that the government is focusing on implementing development works both in urban and rural areas, including tribal-dominated regions,” the CM said.
The cabinet also set aside
Rs 1,787 crore towards major and minor irrigation works, including 110 tank-filling projects at a cost of Rs 475 crore in Gundlupet, Saligrama, Kadur, and other villages in the Mysuru revenue division. Siddaramaiah, however, clarified that the cabinet did not discuss the implementation of the Kabini Stage II project.
Siddaramaiah announced the setting up of Manteswamy, Rachappa, and Siddappaji development authorities and Rs 40 cr for the development of the khadi village in Badanavalu that was visited by Mahatma Gandhi. “We wanted to fulfil the promise made during the Bharat Jodo Yatra headed by Rahul Gandhi,” the CM said.
Siddaramaiah also said that steps will be taken to develop the tomb of Vijayanagara emperor Krishnadevaraya at Anegundi in Koppal district.
The cabinet also decided to set up an art and culture museum at the Old Deputy Commissioner’s office in Mysuru at a cost of Rs 30 crore and set aside Rs 300 crore for other tourism projects.
The cabinet also discussed increasing human-animal conflict in the region and set aside Rs 210 crore to address the issue. An endocrinology department at a cost of Rs 50 crore will be set up in Chamarajnagar Institute of Medical Sciences, and Rs 228 crore has been set aside for the construction of a 250-bed district hospital in Kollegal and a 50-bed hospital in Hanur in Chamarajanagar district.Further, Rs 15 crore has been earmarked to develop the Chamarajanagar stadium.
Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar said that they have approved construction of check dams, canals, and remodeling of irrigation canals in Chamarajnagar, Srirangapatna, KR Nagar, Kushalnagar, and Periyapatna.
Siddaramaiah said that the State Government will discuss giving permanent government jobs to the kin of the 24 people who died in Chamarajanagar district hospital owing to lack of oxygen in 2021.
On the petition by Pramoda Devi Wadiyar claiming ownership of 4,500 acres of land in Chamarajanagar that is tilled by hundreds of small and marginal families, Siddaramaiah said that the tiller is the owner of the land and assured that they will not be displaced.