From Our Special Correspondent
Daijiworld Media Network - Bengaluru

Bengaluru, Aug 10: Promises and more promises is the buzz word in the ruling Congress party’s manifesto for the ensuing Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike elections on August 22, which was released on the last day for filing nomination papers.

Identifying traffic congestion, health and housing as the main focus areas for action, the Congress manifesto came out with a surfeit of promises, including construction of elevated roads, monorail, multi-storied parking complexes, four super speciality hospitals and free breakfast for students of corporation schools.

The 16 page manifesto, however, had very few new promises as most of the assurances like the elevated roads, multi-storied parking complexes, parks in all wards, monorail, circular rail.....had figured in the party's manifesto presented for the last Assembly election in 2013 and the BBMP election in 2010.

Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, who released the Congress manifesto in the presence of KPCC President Dr G Parameshwara, said: "The promises we have made are very practical and they will be fulfilled over the next 5 years if we come to power, which we will."

Answering questions from reporters, the Chief Minister was clueless about the cost of implementing the promises.

"The cost would be known only after preparing a detailed project report for all the projects promised. But all the promises are practical and we will delivr them in 5 years," asserted.

The Chief Minister refused to take the BBMP polls as a referendum on his government.

"City corporation polls and panchayat polls cannot be seen as referendum for the State Government," he said adding: "The issues here are very local."

However, he expressed the confidence of Congress party winning with a thumping majority in the BBMP polls by winning more than 100 wards.

Highlights of the Manifesto:

*Implement Greater Bengaluru Authority Act to bring various civic agencies under single system.
*Implement Bengaluru Administration System for the all round development by co-ordinating with the administrations of Kolara, Tumakuru, Ramanagara and Kanakapura towns.
*Single Window system to address public grievances.
*Reduction in penalty for property tax from the present 24% pa to 5% pa.
*To exert pressure for circular railway project and doubling of tracks in all sections up to a distance of 60kms from city.
*Modernisation of all railway stations in the city.
*Modify Tender Sure project as per needs of the people.
*Construction of flyovers in at least 40 busy intersections.
*Complete Metro-2 project and extend it upto Bidadi, Hosakote, Devanahalli, Nelamangala and Somanahalli.
*Construction of elevated flyovers to conncet East-West and North-South parts of the city.
*Construction of multi-stories parking complexes.
*Fixing definite places for citizens, who at nightimes park their vehicles on the road.
*Construction of multistoried residential complexes to make the city slum-free.
*Reserving 25% of developed land in Bengaluru for economically and socially weak people.
*Providing temporary sites with basic amenities in the outskirts of the city for poor labourers and construction workers, providing transport facility from these places to their work places.
*Impose condition for garbage contractors to segregate waste into dry and wet wastes in the originating wards itself and then transport.
*Using segregated plastic materials for laying roads and gradually ban use of plastic carry bags.
*Promotion of setting up Bio-Methane units to process segregated waste.
*Setting up waste management centres in all assembly segments.
*Law to enforce segregation of wastes at the origin itself.
*Complete the Mekedatu project and implement projects under additional water supply plan for meeting drinking water needs of Bengaluru.
*Make Rain Water Harvesting compulsory for houses and public buildings.
*Establishment of super speciality hospitals in 4 zones.
*Establishment of Dialysis centres in all Assembly segments in Bengaluru.
*Setting up Geriatrics Unit in every hospital.
*Providing students of Corporation schools with morning breakfast along with mid-day meals.
*Upgrading Corporation schools to the level of high end private schools.