Pratap Simha hails SMK as ‘visionary’

Mysuru MP Pratap Simha on Friday hailed former Chief Minister S.M. Krishna as a “visionary”.

Speaking at a programme organised to inaugurate the office of Karnataka Digital Economy Mission (KDEM) at Hebbal in Mysuru, he pointed out that Mr. Krishna had envisioned the need to promote industries in Tier-2 and Tier-3 cities during his tenure as the Chief Minister about two decades ago.

He regretted that Mysuru had not received any support from the government even though people sought to project Mysuru as the best destination for industries after Bengaluru. “I may be in the BJP. But, I regard Mr. S.M. Krishna as a visionary for his promotion of industries in Tier-2 and Tier-3 cities”, he said.

Mr. Krishna, who is now a BJP leader, was in the Congress party when he served as the Chief Minister of Karnataka. “One should learn from Mr. Krishna for laying the road map for development”, he said.

Regretting the delay in the sanction of funds for land acquisition for the extension of the runway at Mysuru airport, Mr. Simha said the State needs “visionary” Chief Ministers and not “reactionary” Chief Ministers.

He also regretted that the building of Software Technology Parks of India (STPI), which was sanctioned for Mysuru in 1998, the first for a non-capital city, was still under construction.

The work on widening the Mysuru-Bengaluru highway into a 10-lane expressway has been taken up at a cost of almost ₹9,000 crore. Out of this, around ₹4,000 crore has been spent towards land acquisition. The expressway is scheduled for completion by next Dasara, he said.

Similiarly, work on Mysuru-Madikeri four-lane highway to be taken up at a cost of ₹4,000 crore will start by May next year. The authorities will start payment of compensation to land losers in the project in the next ten days, he said.