CMP of coalition govt released

Bangalore, Mar 15: Assuring equality and social justice, the 40-day-old JD(S)-BJP government in Karnataka today unveiled its Common Minimum Programme (CMP), highlighting a broad framework of the coalition's programme for the next 40 months.

Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy, who released the CMP at a press conference at the Vidhana Soudha, the State Secretariat here, said his government would give prominence to poverty alleviation, upliftment of weaker sections, agriculture and horticulture to ensure alround development of the State.

He said the coalition government would be called the ''Karnataka Development Front (KDF).'' The 25-page document, underlining the directions the government would take over the next three years on various sectors, was committed to providing a corruption-free and caring administration.

Deputy Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa, who was also present, said the government was ''forward looking and caring''. It would take all steps to wipe out the tears of farmers and poorer sections of the society and at the same time ensure development in the industrial front too.

Mr Kumaraswamy said the government would continue to take all necessary takes to give prominence to Bangalore's development and make it a number one destitination in entire Asia. Plans for development of Bangalore would be announced separately, he added.

He said the CMP only gave a broad framework of the policies and programmes of the coalition government and specific programmes would be announced in the Budget for 2006-07 to be presented by Mr Yediyurappa on March 20.

Referring to the opposition charges that no action had been initiated on a series of announcements made by the government during the last one month, he said the KDF would over the next couple of months reply with its deeds.

He said the government, besides providing the impetus for Information Technology and Biotechnology growth in the State, would also strive for development of other industries, especially the garment sector, that provided more employment to common people.

Over the next three years, the government would add 3000 MW to the state grid, he assured.

UNI