
State didn't release any funds for new development projects in last two years, alleges MLA
The State government, led by the Congress, did not release any funds for undertaking new development projects in the coastal belt during the last two years. Hence, the MLAs in the coastal region did not lay foundation stones for new infrastructure projects, Mangaluru City South MLA D. Vedavyasa Kamath alleged here on Thursday.
Addressing the press, the MLA alleged that, except for each MLA's annual Local Area Development Fund of ₹2 crore, the State government did not release any additional funds during its two-year tenure.
Mr. Kamath alleged that the State government has reduced the compensation amount payable for property damage due to rain-related incidents. Thus, it has done injustice to those who suffered damages, he said.
The government has stated that it can not release the compensation amount as per the guidelines of the National Disaster Response Fund (NDRF), the MLA claimed.
Mr. Kamath alleged that the agenda for the meetings of the Mangaluru Urban Development Authority (MUDA) is decided in Bengaluru, not locally. 'When decisions are taken in Bengaluru, the relevance of MUDA is under question,' the MLA said.
Jail jammer
Mr. Kamath alleged that the government is not bothered about addressing the mobile network problems faced by people residing in the areas surrounding the district jail in the city. The network problems increased after the jail installed a jammer inside the jail. Though people have protested, the government has not taken it seriously to provide relief to the people.
The MLA alleged that the State government wants poor people to remain homeless as it has not implemented Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana–Urban (PMAY-U) 2.0 in the State. Hence, the beneficiaries under PMAY-U have not been identified.
Mangaluru City North MLA Y. Bharat Shetty alleged that the MUDA and Mangaluru City Corporation (MCC) offices have turned out to be 'collection centres.'
Dr. Shetty alleged that there is a dearth of medicines in primary health centres in the city, and in some cases, doctors spend from their pockets to give medicines to patients, he claimed.
The MLA said that the district in-charge Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao is not taking MLAs into confidence and holding any meeting involving MLAs to review damages to properties due to natural calamities. 'Corruption has doubled under the Congress administration,' the MLA alleged.
Protest on June 23
Satish Kumpala, president of the Dakshina Kannada unit of the BJP, said the party will hold protest demonstrations in front of the MCC office at Lalbagh on June 23, to 'highlight the State government's failures'.
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Time of India
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