Elect honest representatives, committed to development: CM

DAVANAGERE: Gram Panchayat polls will be held before May 15, chief minister B S Yeddyurappa said here on Tuesday. "We will hold the elections on schedule. It is your job to choose the right candidates," he told the Vijay Sankalp rally organized as part of BJP's foundation day celebrations.He called on the people to elect personswho are honest, transparent, and committed to development, without yielding toany pressure. He said the BJP's pro-people rule and various developmentprogrammes had ensured the party's victory in BBMP polls.Accordingto him, the government has taken steps to add 600 MW to the state power grid,"We are aware of the inconvenience caused by power scarcity. To rectify this, wehave already issued a government order asking sugar factories and other privatepower producers in the state to supply a major part of their producer to thepower grid," the CM told reporters. "We held a marathon five hour discussionwith the energy department officials on Monday," he said.EXPANSIONOF COTTON INDUSTRIESHe said the government would take up anambitious programme of promoting cottage industries to create jobs in villagesand minimize migration. "After all, we believe in Rishi and Krishi Samskruti(the culture of sages and farming)," he said. The government has issued an orderto help farmers and sheep rearers get easy loans. Banks will lend them loans upto Rs 50,000 at 6% interest. This would enhance the milk production in thestate, he said.He highlighted the government's developmentprogrammes but lamented that most welfare schemes did not reach the needy due toilliteracy and lack of access. The government will strive to make Karnataka aslum free state. "We plan to build two lakh houses per year and provide eachpoor household with a house, he said.K S Eshwarappa, A HShivayogiswamy, S A Ravindranath, M P Renukacharya, G M Siddeshwar,Ananthakumar, Janardhana Swamy, B Y Raghavendra, Harathala Halappa, along withlegislators Madal Virupakshappa, B P Harish, Basavaraj Naik, Davanagere districtBJP chief T Gurusiddana gowda were present.