Belgaum: Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy on Wednesday said that the State Government would soon take effective steps to implement the recommendations of D.M. Nanjundappa Committee report.

The Chief Minister's "concrete assurance" came after the aspirations of the people of the region were conveyed to him by Siddalinga Tontadarya Swamiji at a function organised to present Rajyotsava Award to KLE Society chairman Prabhakar B. Kore, MLC, here.

To a question whether it was binding on the Government to implement the recommendations of such committees, the Chief Minister said he did not believe in giving false assurances to gain cheap popularity.

The report was accepted by the Government about five years ago. The JD(S)-BJP Government was serious in the development of backwards areas.

"Give us some time and we will lay a strong foundation to implement the recommendations (of Nanjundappa Committee report)," he said. The Chief Minister said the Government was committed to holding the legislature session in Belgaum next year too. Though the Government was setting up a committee to identify the land for building the Vikas Soudha, the session would be held even if the work on it was delayed.

Sugarcane price

When his attention was drawn to the reluctance of managements of sugar factories to pay better price for the cane, which was much less than what was being paid in Maharashtra, the Chief Minister said the Government would try to convince them to pay at least Rs. 1,200 per tonne to the growers. The Government had already announced Rs. 500 a quintal for first quality onion, the Chief Minister said.

However, he said that some people were exploiting the growers and trying to create trouble. "I will not hesitate to take stringent action against all those who indulge in unlawful activities in the guise of organising protests."

Bypoll

Asked whether the JD (S) and the Congress were pursing a single point agenda of defeating each other in the December 4 bypoll to the Chamundeshwari Assembly segment in Mysore and were not concentrating on development issues, he said it was the Congress and Siddaramaiah who were talking loudly about "victory" and "defeat." The JD (S) had never talked the way Mr. Siddaramaiah was speaking that he would "finish off the Gowda family." Those who criticised religious institutions were now going to maths and temples praying for victory in the bypoll, the Chief Minister remarked.

Mr. Kumaraswamy challenged the Opposition to cite one example of misuse of government machinery in Chamundeshwari Assembly segment. Announcements about development works in the constituency or Mysore were made before the calendar of events for the bypoll was unveiled, he said.

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