HUBLI: Revenue and District-in-charge Minister Jagadish Shettar has said unless the Union Government responded to the letter of the Chief Minister with regard to inclusion of Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM), the question of sending another proposal doesn't arise.

In an informal chat with presspersons during the bridge inauguration ceremony at Hebasur near here on Tuesday, the Minister said when the Union Government had not responded to the letter from the Chief Minister and an earlier proposal, on what basis should the State Government send another proposal for the development of Hubli-Dharwad.

Reacting strongly to the burning of effigies and protests by few organisations against what they termed as delay by the State Government in sending the proposal for developmental projects in Hubli-Dharwad, Mr. Shettar commented that the agitators were tools for political survival.

Cabinet approval

If the protesters were really concerned about the development of Hubli-Dharwad, they should get the approval at the Union Cabinet meeting and then the State Government would immediately send the required proposal, he said.

Pralhad Joshi, MP, said "In the first place the protesters should burn the effigy of former Chief Minister Dharam Singh, who he said, was responsible for sending names of more than the required number of cities for inclusion under JNNURM", he said. He said the protesters should first get details regarding JNNURM and other schemes before launching an agitation.

Funds

He said efforts were on to get funds for Hubli-Dharwad under the Urban Infrastructure Development of Small and Medium Towns (UIDSMT) scheme.

An amount of Rs. 150 crore had been sought for the twin cities under the scheme and an in-principle approval has also been given. Resorting to agitation at this juncture would only spoil things, he commented.

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