HKDB chief opposes dissolution

RAICHUR: Hyderabad-Karnataka Development Board (HKDB) Chairman N.S. Bhosraj is unhappy that the final report of D.M. Nanjundappa, chairman of the high-powered committee for Redressal of Regional Imbalances, submitted to Chief Minister S.M. Krishna has recommended abolition of some boards and corporations, including HKDB.
Bhosraj told reporters here on Thursday, "Since I took charge of this post, the Board has released maximum funds for various projects and giving priority for developing basic infrastructure, like drinking water and education.The Congress government in the state has allocated Rs 75 crore each in the 2000-2001 and 2001-2002 budgets. We''ve drawn up an action plan involving Rs 88 crore for 2002-2003, which is awaiting the government approval."
He said the Board was making efforts to improve the condition of bus-stands in the region. In all, 72 bus-stands had been identified and they would be bettered at a cost of Rs 4.13 crore. The projects would be taken up with a 50:50 funding from the KSRTC and HKDB. Rs 50 lakh each has been released for Gulbarga, Bellary and Hospet bus-stands.
A demand seeking Rs 3.50 crore for building sports stadia in the five districts had been approved, he said.
Before the Congress government came to power, the HKDB was lying idle. Within the two-and-half years of the Krishna government taking over, the Board had reached a milestone in releasing funds for various projects, including the construction of schools, district libraries, samudaya bhavans, a veterinary hospital, a junior college building, a Kannada Sahitya Bhavan, an anganwadi building, a P-G centre at Raichur and toilets at various places.
On Nanjundappa''s report, he said a meeting was held on the dissolution of HKDB in Bangalore recently. Elected representatives, former Board chairman and other representatives of the region participated. They decided to appeal to the chief minister to review the activities of HKDB and drop suggestion to dissolve the Board.
Urban Development Authority Chairman A. Vasanth Kumar, APMC Chairman K. Shantappa, City Municipal Councillor G. Shivamurthy, District Congress Committee General Secretary Abdul Kareem and others were present.