Development projects to honour Rayanna’s legacy hanging fire

Belagavi: The raging row over the installation of a statue of 19th century freedom fighter Sangolli Rayanna in Belagavi, has thrown into stark relief the apathetic attitude of political parties and the authorities towards the completion of development projects that were proposed nearly three years ago to honour the legacy of Rayanna.
In 2017-18, the then chief minister Siddaramaiah earmarked Rs 267.7 crore to build a Sainik School and develop infrastructure to promote Sangolli, Rayanna’s birthplace, as a tourist destination. However, all projects, the execution of which was vested with the Sangolli Rayanna Development Authority, have been hanging fire owing to delay in disbursal of funds. A Sainik School, on a 70-acre plot, a garden depicting the life and times of Rani Channamma and Rayanna, indoor and outdoor stadia, a museum and development of a lake at Nandgad, where Rayanna was hanged from the gallows by the British, are among the projects, work on which has been halted for six months.
Residents of Sangolli attribute the delay in the completion of these initiatives to the BS Yediyurappa-led government’s indifference to Rayanna’s legacy. Sangolli resident Basavaraj Kamata told TOI that the Siddaramaiah government had sanctioned Rs 110 crore towards the various initiatives utilising which a considerable portion of the work had been completed. But the contractors have been awaiting the next instalment of funds – Rs 65 crore – to continue work, he said. “The payment of the next round of funds has been delayed by six months. Pace of work on these projects slackened after the JD(S)-Congress government came to power, and it ground to a halt after the BJP government took charge,” Kamata said.
Malleshappa Horapeta, commissioner of Sangolli Rayanna Development Authority, said that the agency had sought funds for the completion of pending projects from the state government. “Rural development and panchayat raj minister KS Eshwarappa assured us of disbursing funds at the earliest, and he asked the contractors to expedite work on all the projects. The Covid-19 crisis has also resulted in delaying work on some of the projects,” Horapeta said.
Activist Ashok Chandaragi called on people to take on a more proactive role in ensuring the completion of these projects than get swayed by emotional issues such as the installation of the statue. In the same vein, he asked the government to release the required funds to ensure the completion of all the projects.