Centre should give Rs. 5,000 cr. for city infrastructure, says Ananth Kumar

‘Special packages were given to Kolkata, Chennai, Mumbai'

Slow moving Traffic flow near Kodigehalli on Bellary Road in Bangalore. Photo: Bhagya Prakash K

The Union Government should announce a special package of Rs. 5,000 crore to improve city infrastructure, opined H.N. Ananth Kumar, MP.

He was speaking after inaugurating the concrete road constructed over a drain at Yediyur here on Friday. He said a delegation comprising the Mayor, Lok Sabha members and Ministers would soon go to New Delhi to meet Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. “The Centre has given special packages to Kolkata, Chennai and Mumbai. Bangalore is growing at a rapid rate. The Government must announce a special package before the next Union Budget.” He said that he would take up the cause “both inside and outside the Parliament.”

Airport name

Mr. Ananth Kumar charged that the Union Government was dilly-dallying on naming the Bengaluru International Airport after Kempe Gowda, the founding father of the city. He added that a delegation of senior Bharatiya Janata Party leaders from the State would meet with Mr. Singh and urge him to name the airport after Kempe Gowda.

Home Minister R. Ashok said that the State Government is likely to earmark more funds for the city in its budget for 2012-13. “Since the BJP Government came to power, several infrastructure projects, including Namma Metro, have been taken up in the city,” he said. The road connecting Shastrinagar and Thyagarajanagar has been developed at a cost of Rs. 1.5 crore. Area councillor N.R. Ramesh said the BBMP had completed the project one month ahead of schedule. He also claimed that underground drainage works had been completed in the ward.

Helping hand

On the occasion, Mr. Ananth Kumar and Mr. Ashok gave away Vajpayee Arogyasri cards to 125 beneficiaries, driving licences to 100 unemployed youth and irons to 10 beneficiaries from the Madiwala community. Ten cancer and heart patients received cheques from the Mayor's Medical Relief Fund.

Mayor Sharadamma, Deputy Mayor S. Harish and several BBMP councillors, A.H. Basavaraj, D.N. Venkatswamy Naidu and Govindaraju were present.