Chief Minister B.S. Yeddyurappa said on Sunday that the Government was giving importance to construction of tanks and parks in the State.
He was speaking after laying the foundation stone for removal of silt and development of the 800-year-old Anekere lake here.
The Anekere lake was constructed by King Bhairava Arasa in 12th century. Mr. Yeddyurappa later inaugurated the Bahubali Yatri Nivas of the Department of Tourism, constructed at a cost of Rs. 1.07 crore near the Gomateshwara Betta here.
Speaking to presspersons at Anekere, Mr. Yeddyurappa said that removal of silt and developing tanks and lakes were essential as it helped in recharging the ground water.
The Union Government had released Rs. 4,600 crore under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act to the State. The State Government was studying if the development of tanks and lakes could be taken up under this scheme.
“We want to develop tanks and lakes not just at the district headquarters but also in other places. The Anekere lake is being developed here at a cost of Rs. 65 lakh by the Minor Irrigation Department,” he said. In reply to a question, Mr. Yeddyurappa said that the State Government was planning to implement the recommendations of the Third Finance Commission after the gram panchayat elections.
The Bharatiya Janata Party would field able candidates for the forthcoming gram panchayat elections, which were likely to be announced in a day or two, Mr. Yeddyurappa said. Home Minister V.S. Acharya, MP D.V. Sadananda Gowda, MLA Gopal Bhandary, MLCs Ganesh Karnik and Kota Srinivas Poojary, Lalit Kirti Bhattaraka Pattacharyavarya Swamiji of Sri Jain Math and former MLA Sunil Kumar were among those present.
