K'taka: Centre to give Rs 46.57 cr for road repairs

Udupi, Aug 30: Karnataka Medical Education and district in-charge Minister Dr V S Acharya has urged the Centre to immediately release Rs 46.57 crore as sought by the National Highways department for taking up repair works of the totally dilapidated NH-17 and 48.

Addressing a press conference here, he said according to the National Highways department, a stretch of 215 km of the total 578 km of NH 13, 17 and 48 have been totally damaged, mainly due to ageing of bridges, high density of vehicular traffic, rain and overloaded lorry movement and critical compression.

Despite several letters written to the Union Surface Transport Ministry and a meeting held recently by the Chief Minister with both Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh and the minister concerned T R Baalu, there was no progress, he said, urging the Centre to release the required funds prior to the visit of the Chief Engineer from the Union Government for inspection of roads in Udupi and Dakshina Kannada districts on September 8.

Dr Acharya said a pact reached between the Government and COMED-K had not only helped the Government get more free seats for professional courses, but also enabled completion of the entire CET selection process without any complaint from students and parents.

He said Rs 1,480 crore had been provided as loan assistance to four lakh farmers at four per cent interest and the Government had projected to disburse Rs 3,200 crore to 13 lakh farmers by March 2007.

UNI