From Our Special Correspondent

Daijiworld Media Network

Bengaluru, Oct 3: Lamenting that Kalyana Karnataka Area Development Board has not spent the Rs 1,500 crore allocated to it, Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai said promised to allocate a special grant of Rs 3,000 crore next year if the Board were to utilise the entire amount effectively in a time-bound manner.

Addressing a function after inaugurating the S K Modi National School Veerashaiva Vidyavardhaka Sangha Educational Buildings in Ballari on Sunday, he said the State Government was committed to the development of the entire Kalyana Karnataka region and asked the Board to spend the allocated grants by drawing up special programmes.

Ballari district has a special place in the developmental plans of the State. The entire Kalyana Karnataka region must be comprehensively developed. Development must be a constant process and the benefits of the State’s natural resources must reach all sections of society, he said.

The Chief Minister also unveiled a statue of S K Modi, who has utilised his wealth for the development of the region and more particularly in the education sector. Confessing that he never expected to be a Chief Minister, Bommai said divine providence as well as his predecessor B S Yediyurappa and the party high command were responsible for the honour bestowed on him. ``I am aware of the big responsibility and the expectations of the people. I will do my best to fulfil them for the development of the State,’’ he promised.

Earlier, he received a representation from the leaders of farmers and promised that the State Government will strive to implement their demands.

Ministers Govind M Karjol, B Sriramuluand C C Patil as well as MPs Y Devendrappa, Karadi Sanganna, Syed Nasir Hussain, MLAs Somashekar Reddy, Nagendra, Somalingappa, KC Kondaiah, Allum Veerabhadrappa, Shashil Namoshi, E Tukaram, Ballari Urban Development Authority Chairman Palanna, ex-MLC N Thippanna and other local leaders participated in the function.