Karnataka - Hassan   

Low-interest loan scheme is unique: Revanna

Staff Correspondent

Public Works Minister lists the pro-poor welfare schemes of the coalition

HASSAN: Minister for Public Works and Energy H.D. Revanna said on Tuesday that the State Government's decision to extend farm loans at the interest rate of 4 per cent was unique.

Mr. Revanna was speaking at the district stadium here on Tuesday after unfurling the National Flag to mark the 60th Independence Day.

The Minister, who read out his speech on the achievements of the Janata Dal (Secular)-Bharatiya Janata Party coalition Government, said the Suvarna Rakshana Yojana for agriculture workers, Rs. 50 lakh grant for road development in every Assembly constituency, resumption of Legislators Area Development Fund, and waiving of power dues of "Bhyagyajyothi and "Kuteerajyothi" beneficiaries were the highlights of the Government's performance.

He said the clearing of encroachments on tank bunds throughout the State, "Bhagyalakshmi" programme for poor girls, earmarking separate fund for rural development, extending "Bhoomi" project to hobli level, steps to complete 39 languishing irrigation projects, increase in budgetary allocation for irrigation, sanctioning of 110 hostels to students from backward classes, power subsidy to weavers, increase in the monthly pension to the disabled and widows and extending "Yeshaswini" healthcare programme to all members of cooperative societies had benefited a large number of people.

Medical college

Mr. Revanna, who is the district in-charge, said the Government had accorded administrative approval for Rs. 40 crore to take up second phase of Government medical college and work on first phase, which was taken up at Rs. 40 crore, was fast progressing. Of the 37 works taken up under Rural Infrastructure Development Fund (RIDF-10) of National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD) at Rs. 17.05 crore, work on seven roads had been completed.

He said work estimated at Rs. 11.21 crore had been sanctioned under State Highway Management (HIM) Package-1. Similarly, Rs. 10.34 crore had been sanctioned under HIM Package-2. It had been decided to develop an eight-lane peripheral ring road on the outskirts of Hassan at a cost of Rs. 180 crore and the authorities were in the process of calling tenders for the survey work.

The work on Bangalore-Mangalore road and Bilikere-Tarikere road executed by Karnataka Road Development Corporation Ltd. (KRDCL) was in various stages of progress. He said the KRDCL would build 14 bridges in various parts of the district and the department had sanctioned Rs. 142 crore for it.

Four fist grade colleges and 17 pre-university colleges and 24 high schools had been started this academic year and the Department of Social Welfare would start three Morarji Desai Residential Schools in the district. Two nursing colleges were coming up in Hassan and Holenarsipur.

Work on the first floor of the office of the Superintendent of Police was taken up at a cost of Rs. 55 lakh. While the work on building a Mini Vidhana Soudha in Channarayapatna was on, tenders had been invited to build a Mini Vidhana Soudha in Sakleshpur.

Similarly work on Industrial Training Institute in Hassan taken up at a cost of Rs. 50 lakh was progressing, he said.

The Chamundeshwari Electricity Supply Corporation (CHESCO) was supplying over 2.3 lakh units of power to the district and work on two 220 kV stations at a cost of Rs. 84 crore in Holenarsipur and Channarayapatna were progressing. It had been planned to set up 38 sub-stations at Rs. 160 crore to address the problem in power distribution and 107 feeders would be modernised at a cost of Rs. 26 crores, he said.

Milk processing and cold storage units were coming at Shettihalli of Channarayapatna taluk at a cost of Rs. 73 crore.

Colourful parade

A colourful parade by the police, National Cadet Corps and schoolchildren marked the Independence Day celebrations.

Deputy Commissioner, K.H.Ashwathanarayana Gowda, Chief Executive Officer of the Zilla Panchayat F.R. Jamaadar, and Superintendent of Police Panduranga H. Rane were present.

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Low-interest loan scheme is unique: Revanna

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