Addressing a joint session of the two Houses of the State legislature here on Wednesday, Governor H.R. Bhardwaj said “the government is committed to improving infrastructure, services and facilities for the over 10 million residents of Bangalore. Many new projects for removing traffic bottlenecks, solid waste management and housing have been initiated.”
“The Bangalore Metro Rail project is being pursued vigorously and the section between Peenya village station and Nagasandra is expected to be commissioned in August. The entire east-west corridor between Byappanahalli and Mysore Road terminal is expected to be commissioned by the end of the year,” he said.
The Governor said that for the period ending December 2013 (of the current financial year), more than Rs. 35,000 crore revenue had been collected by the departments of Commercial Tax and Excise, recording a growth in excess of 12 per cent over the corresponding period in the previous year. All-out efforts are being made to meet the revenue targets to ensure meaningful implementation of development programmes.
The State, Mr. Bhardwaj said, has achieved the millennium development goals during this year with respect to infant mortality rate.
“While India’s under-5 mortality rate is 52 and infant mortality rate is 52, the State has been successful in bringing it down to 37 and 32, respectively. Our State is also the first to introduce health coverage for above the poverty line families under the Rajiv Arogya Bhagya scheme.”
Medical collegeMr. Bhardwaj said that the government proposes to start a medical college in every district.
An amendment has been made to the Post Graduate Entrance Test rules of 2006 for giving preference to students domiciled in Karnataka in the matter of admission to postgraduate medical courses.
