The Hindu : Karnataka / Bangalore News : Minister to seek Rs. 70 crore for rural roads around Bangalore

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, May 19, 2006

Karnataka

Karnataka - Bangalore

Minister to seek Rs. 70 crore for rural roads around Bangalore

Staff Reporter

R. Ashok attends performance review meeting of Bangalore Urban Zilla Panchayat

TAKING STOCK: (From left) Bangalore Urban Zilla Panchayat chief executive officer C. Somashekar, Health Minister R. Ashok, zilla panchayat president Renuka Gopala Krishna and vice-president A.C. Srinivas at a review meeting of the Karnataka Developme nt Programme in Bangalore on Thursday. — Photo: K. Gopinathan

BANGALORE: Health Minister R. Ashok, who on Thursday reviewed the performance of the Bangalore Urban Zilla Panchayat under the Karnataka Development Programme, said he would seek at least Rs. 70 crore for the improvement of rural roads around Bangalore.

The funds would come from the allocation of Rs. 200 crore made by Deputy Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa in the State Budget for 2006 for improving roads in Bangalore. Mr Ashok, who is the Minister in charge of Bangalore Urban district, said the district had 2,400 km of roads, but the annual grants for maintenance were not adequate. The information technology and biotechnology sectors were expanding and so were other sectors of industry. Therefore the roads, which carried all kinds of traffic, must be in top condition, he said.

Inadequate funds

At least 892 km of roads needed urgent repairs, but under the Chief Minister's Road Development Programme only Rs. 1.02 crore had been set aside for the current year.

Mr. Ashok warned that he would not tolerate or accept any excuse from officials in ensuring drinking water supply this season.

So far Rs. 12.86 crore had been released and fully used. There were 435 new borewells, and 225 borewells had been re-energised.

The Total Sanitation Programme was under implementation in the district. Of the Rs. 8.71 crore allocated for the four-year programme, Rs. 2.71 crore had already been released. Toilets for schools and anganwadis and individual toilets for homes, apart from community toilets, would be constructed for families living below the poverty line and other categories on a subsidy-based scheme.

Mr. Ashok said the new zilla panchayat office building would be built at an estimated cost of Rs. 4.45 crore at Banashankari in the compound of the Bangalore North taluk office. A sum of Rs. 2 crore had already been earmarked for the purpose and tenders invited, he said.

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