Pics: Spoorthi Ullal
Daijiworld Media Network - Mangaluru (MD)

Updated

Mangaluru, Mar 27: "This time the central government led by Narendra Modi and guided by minister of finance Arun Jaitley has given a ray of hope for the poor and backward people by giving preference to Indian economy in the budget," said union minister for chemicals and fertilizers Ananth Kumar.

Addressing the press meet at the district BJP office here on Friday March 27, Ananth Kumar said, "Karnataka government is getting Rs 10,000 crore more through the 14th Finance Commission as compared to the previous finance commission. In 2014-'15, Rs 15,000 crore was provided for the Karnataka state, which is 32% of the total tax revenue of the central government. The 14th Finance Commission had recommended to increase this percentage to 42%. The Modi government accepted the recommendation. This is the first time the central government has accepted an increase of 10% of the total tax revenue and released the funds to the state governments. Rs 1,72,000 crore of extra tax revenue will be received andKarnataka will receive Rs 10,000 crore extra. Therefore I request chief minister Siddaramaiah to utilize the funds for development with discipline."

Alleging that the Siddaramaiah-led state government had not utilized the central funds, he said, "Last year the central government had released Rs 21,000 crore for the Karnataka state government under Centrally Sponsored Schemes (CSS). The Karnataka government has spent only 51% of the Rs 21,000 crore so far. The 51% of funds has been utilized for Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana, Indira Awas Yojana and various other schemes. CM Siddaramaiah should utilize the funds provided by the central government and answer as to why it has not been done."

"No response to drug store proposal from CM or Khadar"

He further added, "As chemical and fertilizers minister, I had written a letter to the CM of Karnataka and to health minister U T Khadar stating that we would provide a drug store for each government hospital in all the states. We had mentioned that Rs 2.5 lac will be provided to set up each drug store and all medicines would be provided at 30% less than the MRP. Thrice we sent the letter to U T Khadar and to Siddaramaiah but we did not receive any response. It is already three months since we sent the letters. At the same time, seven other states have already opened drug stores and are taking benefits of the scheme."

Commenting further on U T Khadar, he said, "U T Khadar said that he would bring Jana Sanjeevini project but I can say with confidence that no one will ever see that project becoming a reality. Therefore, what I would like to say is providing medical necessities at thelowest price for the poor people is the main aim of the central government and state government should also follow the same.

On new fertilizer industry in Karnataka

On plans to start a fertilizer industry in Karnataka, Ananth said, "Thrice I have met CM Siddaramaiah and informed him that we are ready to start a fertilizer industry in Karnataka. The CM accepted my proposal and said that he would grant 500 acres of land for the industry and said 10% of equity participation will be done. We have taken steps to open fertilizer industries in various other states. We require 32 million tonnes of urea per year and we produce only 22 million tonnes. Another 10 million tonnes are being imported from other countries. Each fertilizer industry will have the capacity to produce 1.3 million tonne of urea. The Karnataka government needs to respond positively to make this happen in the state."

He further said, "The central government is ready start Plastic Park and Pharma Park in Karnataka. Today our country uses 12 million tonnes of plastics in a year. In the year 2020 it will exceed to 20 million tonnes. Hence, wherever there is a refinery, a petrochemical complex should be opened, and from this complex Pharma Park and Plastic Park should be started. This is the intention of the central government. Right now there are a total of 22 refineries in India."

CIPET in Mangaluru

"Today in our country we have the Central Institute of Plastic Engineering and Technology (CIPET) which is equivalent to IIT. Each year our country requires up to four lac plastic engineers and technicians, but we are producing only 40,000. In Mysuru we have one such center. We are planning to start these centers in two places in Karnataka, which might be in Bengaluru and Mangaluru. We have already discussed this with the Karnataka state government.

MP Nalin Kumar Kateel, former MLA Yogish Bhat and others were also present.

Earlier Report

Mangaluru: MCF to run on naphtha till gas connection work is done: Ananth Kumar

Pics: Meryick D'Silva
Daijiworld Media Network - Mangaluru (MD)

Mangaluru, Mar 27: Union minister for chemicals and fertilizers Ananth Kumar on Friday March 27 said that Mangalore Chemicals and Fertilizers will run on naphtha till the work on natural gas connection is completed.

Speaking to daijiworld at Circuit House during his visit to the city on Friday, he said, "Mangalore Chemicals and Fertilizers (MCF) will continue to run on naphtha-based system till the completion of the work on natural gas connection to MCF to produce urea.

"The Narendra Modi government has provided MCF a second chance to survive. In 2007, UPA government promised that it would finish the pipeline connection within two years and would stop the naphtha-based system on June 31, 2014. They took almost seven years and still the pipeline work is not completed. Though many ministers like Oscar Fernandes and Veerappa Moily hail from Mangaluru, they have not given any attention to MCF," he said.

Congratulating MP Nalin Kumar Kateel, Ananth Kumar said, " After Modi government came into existence, MP Nalin Kumar showed concern towards MCF and came to me, and we both discussed ways of saving MCF. In the cabinet meetings we pointed out this issue and we talked about how providing natural gas through barge or by road would consume a lot of time and we came to the conclusion that MCF will run on naphtha-based system till it is given natural gas connection under the ministry of chemicals and fertilizers."

"CM should have ordered CBI probe into D K Ravi case in beginning"

On the controversy surround the death of IAS officer D K Ravi, Ananth Kumar said, "The death of IAS officer D K Ravi has enraged everybody. It was a mysterious death. Chief minister Siddaramaiah should have handed over the case to the CBI on the very next day of the death.

"Now CM Siddaramaiah is being questioned by others on who he is trying to protect and the reason for the delay. All these questions could have been avoided if he had given the case to the CBI soon after D K Ravi's death," he added.

BJP district president Prathapsimha Nayak, Yogish Bhat, MP Nalin Kumar Kateel, Nagaraj Shetty and others were also present on this occasion.

Ananth Kumar is expected to attend a programme in Uppala and then in Udupi.