Will continue as minister in-charge for Bengaluru development: Basavaraj Bommai

Belagavi: Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai on Tuesday indicated that he will continue to remain Minister in-charge for Bengaluru development and that the city's progress has been his top priority and would continue to remain so.

He also said there were plans to develop the city's Central Business District (CBD) as a model and it will be replicated in other parts of the city in future.

"I have given utmost priority and time to Bengaluru and have held several meetings. I'm aware that Bengaluru is important as I discharge my duty as the Chief Minister. So I have kept that portfolio with me," Bommai said.

Speaking in the legislative assembly, he said, there is a direct link between the Finance Department and Bengaluru, both in terms of revenue generation and expenditure.

"To see to it that there is proper utilization and management, we have taken this decision. I'm giving time to Bengaluru and will continue to. There is no need for any concern. Will see to that Bengaluru gets its due...and we are committed to find solutions to issues faced by Bengaluru," Bommai added.

He was responding to Congress MLA K J George's statement that the Chief Minister, who is also in-charge of Bengaluru Development, is unable to concentrate much on the city, as he has to focus on the entire state with floods and the COVID pandemic situation.

He also suggested a separate Minister in-charge of Bengaluru city." Let anyone become...", he said.

Recently, senior Minister V Somanna, currently holding the Housing portfolio, had openly expressed his desire to be made in-charge of Bengaluru amid reports that some city legislators and Ministers were expressing their reservation internally about a move to give the post to Revenue Minister R Ashoka, considered close to the Chief Minister.

With the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike elections due to take place, it was expected that the responsibility of Bengaluru development would be allocated to a senior Minister from the city during the portfolio allocation. But the Chief Minister has retained the city development portfolio to himself, like his predecessor B S Yediyurappa, keeping in view the number of aspirants for it.

Bommai said that in the entire Smart City project of Rs 1,000 crore, Rs 550 crore has been approved for roads, Rs 60 crore for development of K R Market, Rs 42 crore for Cubbon Park, Rs 50 crore for electric buses and Rs 20 crore for medical instruments.

"Among roads, 10 of the 16 major works have been completed and the remaining will be done by March 2022. Work on the remaining projects like K R Market and Cubbon park are also in progress," he said. All the works will be completed with in the stipulated time, as also release of the state government's share of money, the CM said.

An amount of Rs 493 crore has already been released, out of which Rs 414 crore has been spent, he said, adding that about Rs 500 crore that has yet to be released from the state and the centre will be done on time.

Pointing out that Bengaluru's central business district has been taken for the Smart City project, Bommai said there is a plan to convert CBD into a model district, for which funds other than under smart city project would also be utilized.

"Not only smart city or Tender-Sure roads, we want to develop the central business district as a showcase. Once developed, it will be replicated in other parts of the city. I have held discussions with officials in this regard. We will be changing the entire road signalling and parking, including policemen's dresses, among others, as part of this plan," he added. PTI