Mixed bag for North K’taka, twin cities
TNN | Feb 8, 2019, 23:58 IST
Hubballi: The budget presented by chief minister H D Kumaraswamy is a mixed bag of announcement for the twin cities and North Karnataka region.
One of the reasons to cheer is the CM announcing a plan to examine the viability, pros and cons of establishing a Metro Rail Project in Hubballi Dharwad. The government has also come to the rescue of the cash-strapped Hubballi Dharwad Municipal Corporation by allocating Rs 150 crore under the Mahatma Gandhi City Development Programme.
The government has set aside Rs 4.5 crore to establish a tertiary level cancer institute at Hubballi. Besides, it has also sanctioned a Morarji Desai Residential School and a separate sports hostel for girls in Dharwad. It will also establish quality analysis and processing units at Hubballi and Annigeri.
In a good news for mango growers of Dharwad district, the CM has announced the establishment of an international standard mango processing unit in the district.
However, residents of the twin cities are disappointed as the state budget has not touched upon many of their long pending demands.
Residents wanted the state government to provide adequate funds to construct a flyover from KC Circle to Jubilee Circle, make budgetary allocations for streamlining the UGD network, revive Aryabhata IT Park, announce a scheme to attract investors and start industries in Hubballi-Dharwad, develop industrial estates, revive Tolankere and Unkal lakes, convert the Bypass Road into a six lane, upgrade Hubballi-Ankola road and Dharwad to Panaji Road into four lanes. However, these issues were not mentioned in the budget.
Kumaraswamy has allocated Rs 25 crore to develop tourism in North Karnataka. It includes developing Badami and setting up a handicraft market and establishing a Hampi Discourse Centre in Hampi and Vijayapura Tourism Discourse Centre in Vijayapura at a cost of Rs 1 crore each.
The chief minister has also announced a grant of Rs 30 crore for the construction of separate special central prisons with a capacirty of 1,000 prisoners each in Vijayapura and Bidar districts.
No focus on industrial development in region
Karnataka Chamber of Commerce of Industry, Hubballi president V P Linganagoudar told TOI, “Examining the viability of Metro in Hubballi is welcome. But there is no announcement for industrial development in North Karnataka. Funds have been allocated only the revival of sugar factories only in Mandya district. The Rs 50 crore grant for establishment of industrial sheds is reserved only for Mandya district. Despite our requests, no grant has been announced for roads, drinking water and underground drainage facilities of industrial estates here.”
“Though the budget claims it tries to eradicate regional imbalance, it has not stressed for the development of North Karnataka. However, it gives a boost to the agriculture sector by reserving Rs 46,853 crore for various schemes and programmes,” he added.
One of the reasons to cheer is the CM announcing a plan to examine the viability, pros and cons of establishing a Metro Rail Project in Hubballi Dharwad. The government has also come to the rescue of the cash-strapped Hubballi Dharwad Municipal Corporation by allocating Rs 150 crore under the Mahatma Gandhi City Development Programme.
The government has set aside Rs 4.5 crore to establish a tertiary level cancer institute at Hubballi. Besides, it has also sanctioned a Morarji Desai Residential School and a separate sports hostel for girls in Dharwad. It will also establish quality analysis and processing units at Hubballi and Annigeri.
In a good news for mango growers of Dharwad district, the CM has announced the establishment of an international standard mango processing unit in the district.
However, residents of the twin cities are disappointed as the state budget has not touched upon many of their long pending demands.
Residents wanted the state government to provide adequate funds to construct a flyover from KC Circle to Jubilee Circle, make budgetary allocations for streamlining the UGD network, revive Aryabhata IT Park, announce a scheme to attract investors and start industries in Hubballi-Dharwad, develop industrial estates, revive Tolankere and Unkal lakes, convert the Bypass Road into a six lane, upgrade Hubballi-Ankola road and Dharwad to Panaji Road into four lanes. However, these issues were not mentioned in the budget.
Kumaraswamy has allocated Rs 25 crore to develop tourism in North Karnataka. It includes developing Badami and setting up a handicraft market and establishing a Hampi Discourse Centre in Hampi and Vijayapura Tourism Discourse Centre in Vijayapura at a cost of Rs 1 crore each.
The chief minister has also announced a grant of Rs 30 crore for the construction of separate special central prisons with a capacirty of 1,000 prisoners each in Vijayapura and Bidar districts.
No focus on industrial development in region
Karnataka Chamber of Commerce of Industry, Hubballi president V P Linganagoudar told TOI, “Examining the viability of Metro in Hubballi is welcome. But there is no announcement for industrial development in North Karnataka. Funds have been allocated only the revival of sugar factories only in Mandya district. The Rs 50 crore grant for establishment of industrial sheds is reserved only for Mandya district. Despite our requests, no grant has been announced for roads, drinking water and underground drainage facilities of industrial estates here.”
“Though the budget claims it tries to eradicate regional imbalance, it has not stressed for the development of North Karnataka. However, it gives a boost to the agriculture sector by reserving Rs 46,853 crore for various schemes and programmes,” he added.
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