Udupi : Rousing Start to State Level Municipal Convention,

Pics by Hemanath Padubidri
Daijiworld Media Network – Udupi (SP)

Udupi, Aug 13: Minister for municipal and local bodies, Balachandra Jarkiholi, announced that a sum of Rs 600 crore under the government’s ambitious ‘Nagarotthana’ scheme would be released to the respective municipalities and city corporations soon. He was speaking after inaugurating the two-day state level convention of local bodies organized in the town, on Thursday August 12. The convention, being held to celebrate the platinum jubilee of the local municipal council, is going on at Ammani Ramanna Shetty Hall here.

He said that the government will take into consideration the discussions being undertaken at this convention as well as the resolutions being passed by it, before taking a final decision on the issue. He revealed that the Chief Minister (CM) and the minister for urban development would be making announcements on this issue on Friday August 13.

Jarkiholi asked all the civic bodies to emulate the Chief Minister’s Health Insurance Scheme implemented by the local municipal council for the welfare of scheduled castes and tribes, in their respective areas. He urged the city corporations, municipal councils located in district headquarters, town panchayats etc., to make the best use of the enhanced grants being released to them after B S Yeddyurappa took charge as the state’s Chief Minister.  He suggested that instead of distributing the grants for minor works in all the wards, selected ten wards may be developed every year, out of the grants received by the bodies.

State home minister, V S Acharya, said that the perspectives of the discussions being held in the presence of the Chief Minister and urban development minister on Friday, will emerge in the form of ‘Udupi Declaration’ on Friday. He released the book, ‘Abhivriddhiya Dapugaalu’ and a CD released by the local municipal council, on its activities since it was set up.

MP, D V Sadanand Gowda, symbolically handed over the keys of the residential complex built for the civic workers by the municipality, to the beneficiaries.

A G Kodgi, MLA, Lalaji Mendon, MLC, Kota Srinivas Poojary, urban development secretary, S D Meena, district deputy commissioner, Hemalata, urban development advisor to the CM, Dr A Ravindra and various other dignitaries were present.

Municipal president, Dinakar Shetty Herga welcomed. MLA, K Raghupati Bhat delivered introductory address.