Karnataka CM to visit Chamarajanagar on May 27

Bangalore, May 19 (UNI) After a gap of over 17 years, the jinxed Chamarajanagar district will receive Karnataka Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy who has decided to pay a three day visit to the district from May 27 and likely to announce a series of developmental works totalling over Rs 300 crores.

The Chief Minister would commence his tour by staying overnight in one of the houses of Uppar Community people at Badagalamole villge, the most backward village in the district.

The visit is being considered significant in light of the fact that except Veerendra Patil, none of the state Chief Ministers had visited the district out of fear that they would lose power after the visit. Mr Patil visited the district in 1990.

Giving details about the visit, Kannada and Culture Minister H S Mahadeva Prasad, who hails from the district, said the village had families living below poverty line. The state government had decided to develop the village and make it a model on suggestions made by President APJ Abdul Kalam under Providing Urban and Rural Amenities (PURA), he added.

He said huts were demolished and pucca houses were being constructed for the people in the village. Proper roads and drainage system had already been laid. The Chief Minister would also announce a special package for economic uplift of the community, he added.

Answering a question he said Mr Kumaraswamy would also launch various programmes, including permanent and safe drinking water project covering Chamarajanagar (166 villages) and Gundlupet (131 villages) involving a cost of Rs 102 crore. He would visit Male Mahadeshwara Hills on May 28 and participate in various programmes before staying at another backward village Kumbadiki.

He was also likely to announce a package of reform measures for the tribal people living in the surroundings, he said and added the Chief Minister would return to the city after attending programmes in Kollegal on May 29.

UNI