Hubli-Dharwad will be developed at any cost: HDK
DH News Service Gadag:
Chief Minister H D Kumaaraswamy on Thursday said he has advised Information Technology companies to stop expanding their activities in and around Bangalore.
Instead, they (IT firms) must look at Tier-II cities that could be a boon for them as well as to overall development of the State, he said.
Speaking to media persons, the Chief Minister, who was here to inaugurate the two-day Lakkundi Utsav at Lakkundi, near here, said, “We are asking the major IT players to think of starting their subsidiaries in other cities so that every part of the State will get an economic boost and develop.”
Reiterating his commitment to providing infrastructure facilities to IT firms, the Chief Minister said that the government would provide whatever facilities they (IT companies) want in every district. But development should not be confined only to Bangalore. It should spread out to other places too, he added.
He said that the state Cabinet had okayed a Rs 18,000 crore loan from the Asian Development Bank (ADB) to develop cities and towns in north Karnataka. The government would leave no stone unturned to reduce the regional imbalance through equitable creation of urban infrastructure in the backward districts, he vowed.
B’lore ring roads
Defending the government’s decision to take up one more mega ring road project worth Rs 36,000 crore in Bangalore, when the government is going ahead with Metro rail as well, the Chief Minister said Bangalore city was under tremendous pressure due to excessive urbanisation.
To lessen this pressure, the government had decided to take up another project to lay two more ring roads and set up five townships around Bangalore.
Replying to a query, Mr Kumaaraswamy said adamant officers would not be tolerated. Stringent action would be initiated against officers who disobey ministers’ orders.
Asked if the Centre would include Hubli-Dharwad in Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewable Mission (JNNURM), the Chief Minister said he had recently met the Union Urban Development Minister and requested him to consider the twin cities. He said he would continue to exert pressure on the Centre to include Hubli-Dharwad under the project. “Irrespective of the Centre including the twin cities under JNNURM, the State government will release necessary funds for overall development of Hubli-Dharwad,” he said.
