BANGALORE: Urban local bodies, including the Bangalore Mahanagara Palike, will receive an allocation of Rs. 1,305 crores in 2005-06 as recommended by the State's Second Finance Commission, according to Minister for Municipal Administration S.R. Morey.

The Minister told presspersons here on Tuesday that the decision on the allocation was taken at a meeting chaired by Finance Minister P.G.R. Sindhia here on Monday. Apart from Mr. Morey, the meeting was attended by Agriculture Minister K. Srinivasa Gowda and Minister for Youth Affairs and Minority Welfare Jabbar Khan Honnali.

Cabinet nod awaited

The matter will be placed before the Cabinet for approval, Mr. Morey said. Last year, the Department of Municipal Administration got only Rs. 798 crores.

Mr. Morey said that the allocation is Rs. 205 crores more than what was allocated in this year's budget for the urban local bodies. Under the Integrated Development of Small and Medium Towns scheme, Rs. 36 crores will be utilised before March 2006.

The proposal for work on the third stage of the water supply scheme for Hubli-Dharwad at a cost of Rs. 176 crore will be sent to the Finance Department for approval.

A 9-km outer ring road will be built linking National Highway 4 to divert trucks carrying iron ore from Bellary via Hubli. The trucks now pass through Rani Channamma Circle obstructing traffic and damaging the roads in Hubli. Another proposal to widen 60 km of roads in the twin cities at a cost of Rs. 42 crores will be forwarded to the Finance Department, he said.

Runway extension

Mr. Morey said the Karnataka Industrial Areas Development Board (KIADB) will release 200 acres of land to the Airports Authority of India for extending and upgrading the runway at the Hubli airport. The project will cost Rs. 2 crores.

A proposal for building a flyover at Rani Channamma Circle in Hubli at a cost of Rs. 34 crores will be placed before the Cabinet. A master plan will also be prepared for the twin cities.

Five more platforms will be added to the Hubli Railway Station by shifting the goods shed. The KIADB will provide 100 acres for the purpose, he said.

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