Mangalore: ULB poll result will not affect Assembly elections - Shettar in city

Pics: Dayanand Kukkaje / Brijesh Garodi
Daijiworld Media Network - Mangalore (BG)

Mangalore, Mar 18: Chief minister Jagadish Shettar visited the city on Monday March 18 and inaugurated a slew of projects.

Speaking to mediapersons after landing at Mangalore Airport at around 10.45 am, Shettar said that the loss suffered by BJP in the recent urban local body elections will have no effect on the upcoming state Assembly elections.

"Around 22 percent of the people voted based on the local problems and issues facing them. The ULB poll has no connection with the Assembly election and will not affect its results," he said.

On the proposed ultra mega power plant at Niddodi, which has evoked protests from various quarters, he said that it is just a proposal as of now. "It is only a proposal. Final decision will be taken only after taking everyone's opinion into consideration, including public opinion," he said.

The CM inaugurated the first phase of Sir M Visvesvaraiah road project at Yeyyadi, by lighting the lamp and unveiling a plaque in the presence of district incharge minister C T Ravi, deputy speaker of legislative assembly Yogish Bhat, MP Navin Kumar Kateel and others.

Shettar then headed to Lady Goschen Hospital where he laid the foundation for the new hospital. The project has been funded by ONGC-MRPL.

At Lady Goschen hospital premises, the chief minister along with the dignitaries inaugurated four other projects, namely, SEZ solid waste management programme, mini Vidhana Soudha project, various projects of Wenlock hospital and Vajpayee Arogya Shree scheme.

Chairman of MRPL Sudheer Vasudeva along with MD P P Upadhyaya unveiled the plaque of the Lady Goschen hospital project.

Addressing the gathering, Shettar said, "This is an important programme. The Dakshina Kannada and Udupi districts are role models to the entire country."

Lauding ONGC-MRPL for funding Rs 21.7 crore for the project, he said that with their help, the bed capacity at the hospital can now be increased to 500 from 260. I really appreciate ONGC-MRPL for taking up the project as part of their corporate social responsibility," he said.

He also lauded Yogish Bhat for implementing good projects in the district.

"The state government is always ready to provide funds for good and useful projects. The government has spent Rs 3 crore on synthetic track," he informed.

"The government has sanctioned Rs 120 crore for drinking water project and the funds should be utilized properly. The Soubhagya Sanjeevani project which was launched on February 8 requires Rs 450 crore, and already Rs 200 crore has been released and more will be sanctioned soon," he said, adding that government has also released Rs 3 crore for the construction of a swimming pool of international standards in Dakshina Kannada.

Moily in his address said that Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Congress president Sonia Gandhi have given more importance to welfare of women and children and have released several crores of rupees for the purpose.

"Every year, Lady Goschen hospital gets 6000-7000 delivery cases, 70,000 in-patients and one-and-a-half lac outpatients. The contribution made by ONGC-MRPL will improve the various facilities in the hospital," he said.

"The undivided Dakshina Kannada has good healthcare facilities, which should reach every individual. Even the doctors should demand better technology and equipment for their assistance. We will also provide well-equipped ambulance to the hospital," he added.

MRPL chairman Sudheer Vasudeva termed the programme as 'celebration' and said that ONGC-MRPL took up the project with an aim to help the needy.

Thereafter, Shettar proceeded to Mannagudda where he opened a biogas centre and then to Mangala Stadium where he symbolically inaugurated the synthetic track, Balmatta first grade women's hostel, Pandeshwar fire police station, hostel for post-metric girls and for sportspersons, and other projects.

From there he headed to Pilikula where he inaugurated Guthu House and Shivaram Karanth planetarium.

Union minister for petroleum Dr M Veerappa Moily, C T Ravi, Yogish Bhat, MP Jayaprakash Hegde, Navin Kumar Kateel, Rajya Sabha MP Oscar Fernandes, former minister Krishna J Palemar, MLA U T Khader, MLA Abhayachandra Jain, MLC Capt Ganesh Karnik and others were present.

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