Promises kept and broken

Promises kept and broken
6 Sep 2008, 0522 hrs IST, Rishikesh Bahadur Desai,TNN

BANGALORE: The first BJP government in the South came to power with a lot of promises that aimed at making Karnataka the number one state in the country . Most of them found a place in chief minister B S Yeddyurappa's budget. In his first meeting with officers, he said the implementation of these promises would begin in the first 100 days. However , only a few promises have been translated into action.
Yeddyurappa promised a 10-point agenda for Karnataka's development, which would achieve a 9% growth in the next five years. This included massive investments in the service sector, steady growth of infrastructure and doubling agriculture growth to 4% from the present 2%. However, this does not seem easy as growth rate remains at 7% and farm sector growth rate refuses to move upwards from 2%.
The government has not kept pace with people's expectations in three broader areas - implementing programmes and schemes, forming policies and constituting authorities and commissions.
SCHEMES THAT FAILED TO TAKE OFF
"Tayi Bhagya' ' - an integrated healthcare scheme in which the government foots the bills of treatment of BPL mothers in government and private hospitals. It was to start in six north Karnataka districts and Chamarajanagar where maternal mortality rate is high. However, hospitals in these districts have not started offering the benefits.
"Samruddha Hasiru Grama Yojane'' - afforestation programme through community participation. Forest officials say they have not decided whether it should be done through the panchayats or NGOs.
"Mahatma Gandhi Govu Aadharitha Grama Udyoga' ' - to help farmers get remunerative prices for cow dung and urine. The department of animal husbandry is yet to prepare a draft plan for the programme . A special scheme to conserve and develop places from where rivers originate - no details announced, not even the name of the scheme.
POPULIST POLICIES
Creating 10 lakh jobs over five years, including one lakh this year. The government has neither shown progress on this front nor detailed how it will be achieved.
OMISSIONS AND COMMISSIONS
The government promised the setting up of 10 commissions but only half have been formed till now. Of these, four were formed this week.
The government announced appointment of members and chairmen to the Karnataka 2020 blueprint vision group, the agriculture commission, the knowledge commission, Western Ghats conservation task force and the committee to survey waqf properties. However, the government is yet to constitute the Karnataka Maritime Board, State Child Development Academy, Karnataka Public Lands Corporation and Karnataka State Skills Commission and the State Water Regulatory Board.
POLICIES ON PAPER
The budget promised formation of the industry, textile and youth policies. None of them has been formed till now.
BANGALORE DEVELOPMENT
Raising Rs 36,000 crore for Bangalore development over five years and spending Rs 1,800 crore on infrastructure development in the first year are Yeddyurappa's biggest promises for the capital.
The government has made a beginning by setting up the Agenda for Bangalore Infrastructure Development task force. But there is very little evidence to show it is raising resources or taking up construction of new traffic-friendly structures like flyovers, underpasses or grade separators. Many of the old projects remain incomplete.
TIER-TWO CITIES
The grand plans to develop other cities and decongest Bangalore seemed to have been shelved. The CM promised that the urban local bodies of Mysore, Mangalore, Belgaum, Hubli-Dharwad , Davanagere, Bellary and Gulbarga would get Rs 100 crore per year for two years. This would help them improve civic amenities, invite investments and decongest Bangalore . This has not happened.
ONLY IDEAS
Web-based redressal of public grievances. This would help villagers file complaints through kiosks in panchayats or cyber cafes and track the movement of the file. This has not started.
Increasing the number of Bangalore-One centres is happening in phases. But plans of having similar centres in Hubli-Dharwad , Gulbarga, Belgaum, Bellary, Shimoga, Mysore and Mangalore may have to wait.
Development of Kannada software that helps faster application of e-governance tools is yet to happen. The budget allocation of Rs 1 crore is yet to be used.

'Karnataka will be made most progressive & investor-friendly'

'Karnataka will be made most progressive & investor-friendly'
Sunday, 09.07.2008, 10:07pm (GMT-7)

  India Post News Service

CHICAGO: Karnataka Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa said here that he was set to make Karnataka the most modern and progressive State in the Indian Union and that a new industrial policy friendlier to investors is on anvil.In a talk to this paper, he conceded that terrorist activities that plague many states in India are also a threat to his state and that he had taken up the matter with the Indian Prime Minister and Home Minister after recent blasts.
He said that PM Manmohan Singh assured him that an increased vigilance and upgrading the training to the police would be provided by the Center. "We are all concerned about these activities and we need to get united to nip them in the bud," he said.CM also said that his government was keen to increase a cleaner supply of energy to the industries in the state and one of the means was to have a bigger generation of power thru windmills.
"Currently we produce 5000 MW through the use of wind mills and we would like to increase it to 10,000 MW. My Atlanta visit is for more exploration in this direction," he said.CM and members of his delegation were accorded reception by Indian Consul General Ashok Kumar Attri at the Consulate office in Chicago Downtown. Welcoming the delegation, Attri listed the tasks that his office handled after he took over and observed that despite a newer team of officials the things went smoothly and quite efficiently.
He paid tribute to his staff for hard work and sincerity. He also mentioned about the co-operation between the State of Karnataka and the State of Illinois and observed that there was greater scope for a further cementing of bonds between the two. He praised the leadership quality of the new CM and welcomed his team to Chicago.Karnataka CM in his brief address outlined some of the salient features of Karnataka economy and pitched for greater flow of investment funds.
He talked about One Window clearance for NRI and overseas investors and listed areas where overseas investment was more welcome. He said that the voters in Karnataka have mandated BJP government to power and it is "up to us to prove our mettle by rising to their expectations and trust."Indians firstSurendra Ullal adds: Addressing a meeting organized by Friends of India Society at Holiday Inn Rolling Meadows, a suburb of Chicago, Karnataka Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa said, "I am happy to be here to meet Karnataka Diaspora and Indian Americans.
I am indeed touched by the love and affection shown to me by all of you." Translating his sentiments in Kannada he said, 'I am overwhelmed and I am grateful to you all. We are Indians first and then Kannadigas, or any other linguistic groups."Referring to the speech of Bhishma Agnihotri, former Ambassador atLarge during the Vajpayee Administration, about many serious ills like terrorism, and communal violence in India, he said that Karnataka also had taken steps along with the Central Government to strengthen its police forces and is continuing to monitor the matter closely to prepare for any eventuality.
He was in Chicago to attend the World Convention of Kannadigas in Rosemont. First BJP Chief Minister of Karnataka, Yediyurappa has been a prominent leader of the party who rose from the position of a volunteer of the Sangha to this exalted position of Chief Minister on May 30 this year.He urged all Indians and Indian Americans in US to keep their love for the land of their ancestors alive and contribute to the welfare of India and her people.
"This is an opportunity for me to invite those entrepreneurs and businessmen here to invest in Karnataka. We have set up an NRI cell there to develop closer business relations between the State of Karnataka and the US, especially the State of Illinois," he said in a fervent appeal."Our state has a strong and well established administrative structure and resources to establish key industrial and technical ventures. We have taken several industrial and technical initiatives. "Karnataka," he said "was a tech-savvy State. Bangalore its capital was a pre-eminent center of IT, auto-tech, bio-technology and many knowledge based industries.
"He was honest and forthright to admit that his government, which is the first ever BJP government in the Karnataka, was determined to take steps to make Karnataka the top industrialized State in the country. Its capital Bangalore, he told the audience exuding pride, "was among the foremost centers of Information Technology not only in the country, but in the whole world," which he declared he would keep up and promote further. He assured that "his government will make all efforts to make Karnataka a model state," amid applause.
He further stated that the state proposed to develop separate industrial zones for steel, cement, auto, ready made garment and other important sectors of economy to benefit an all round development of his state.In conclusion he submitted in humility, which reflected his character as a farmer, who stood throughout his life for the welfare of the farmers and for their rights, "I can only assure you that I will try to change the entire picture of Karnataka within the next three years, because our party has come to power just three months ago and it is improper to predict without adequate and reasonable facts."He was shy of admitting or forecasting anything on any issue except that he would consider his duty to dedicate his time and energy to improve the living conditions of all the people.
"Within the next three years, there will be tremendous changes in Karnataka and then I will come and talk to you in detail about it," he said in conclusion.At a Question and Answer session later, he addressed a number of concerns by the audience, especially regarding the notoriously known poor infrastructure in the State, tough competition given by Chinese dumping of electronic goods in Indian Market and its affect on local economy on developmental front and social issues like what he could do to alleviate the struggle of Kashmiri Pandits, who have become refugees in their own country, and on religious side his governments views on governmental control on the Hindu temple administrations as against the relaxed rule on Churches and Mosques in almost all States, including Karnataka. One of the answers that brought comfort to the audience was regarding the steps he had taken to fight corruption and administrative incompetence.
He said he had already issued administrative notice to the deputy commissioners in several districts to concentrate their duties in their own region and conduct meetings in Hubli instead of coming to Bangalore for every problem.He said he also initiated Computer Conferencing with the main offices in capital, so that there would be substantial savings of time, money and energy. He hoped these could bring down corruption and increase efficiency.
He said 16000 cores rupees are already sanctioned for various infrastructure projects, and initiative had already been taken in terms of decentralization of power in the administration of temples in the State, besides contemplating appropriate legal remedies to help the Kashmiri families now settled in various parts of India, living a life of second class citizens. Earlier, Bhishma Agnihotri, made a spirited appeal to the Indian American community to organize themselves and educate our people back home. "We may not be voting, but we can help them in a variety of ways."
He asked them to call him and others volunteers of Friends of India Society International to extend their cooperation.Consul General Ashok Attri said that under his stewardship Karnataka, which is already among the top industrialized states in the Indian Union, would advance further in every economic and industrial development.
Sunil Puri, well known real estate mughal from Rockford, also spoke highly about the dedication and services of Chief Minister Yediyurappa and expressed full confidence in his ability to lead Karnataka in the direction of high industrial and economic development and make it "Pride of India."Shrinarayan Chadak was the moderator and Anil Deshpande proposed vote of thanks.

Ramesh Soparawala