Bayaluseeme Development Board has sought an allocation of ₹500 crore from the State government to initiate various community development works. The board has jurisdiction over 14 districts.
Addressing presspersons in Dharwad on Wednesday, board chairman Tavanappa Astagi said that over 70 Assembly constituencies come under the jurisdiction of the board. And, MLAs and MLCs of the region have been demanding more grants from the board for their respective constituencies.
“Hence, the board has decided to take a delegation comprising all 70 representatives to the Chief Minister next week seeking allocation of ₹500 crore,” he said.
Mr. Astagi said that the budgetary allocation for the board was just ₹45 crore and an additional ₹54 crore was given this year to take up development works. An action plan for ₹99 crore has been prepared and works initiated, he said.
He said that a total of 951 works has been taken up in 14 districts. Of these, 160 works have been completed and 791 are in different stages of completion. Under the board, there is no provision to identify individual beneficiaries and the entire action plan is focused on community development projects, he added.
Soak pits in farmland, micro drip irrigation through borewells, construction of CC road, asphalting, underground drainage and cross drainage works, repair of government schools and anganwadi centres, construction of traditional wrestling houses are some of the projects being implemented by the board, he said.
