PM asks Cong in K'taka to gear up for polls

Bangalore, Aug 3 (UNI) Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, who had a hectic schedule during his short visit to the city, today called upon party workers to prepare for Assembly elections stating the ruling JD (S)-BJP Coalition was 'not in a good shape.' Addressing party workers immediately after his arrival, without directly referring to the transfer of power among the coalition partners in October as agreed, he said ''I do not know what will happen in October.

''But the winds of change are in store'' he said and hoped the Congress ''would return to power.'' However, he ruled out the possibility of the Congress again joining hands with the JD-S.

Terming the performance of the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) as 'pretty well,' Dr Singh said ''India had become one of the four or five fastest development economies in the world.

''The growth rate of nine per cent is highest ever achieved by the country.'' Assuring all help to Karnataka, Dr Singh said ''we want Karnataka to be the number one forward looking state.'' However, later, while speaking at a review meeting on agriculture and irrigation, he cautioned the state not to invest hugely on controversial irrigation projects in the Cauvery and Krishna Basins, but utilise funds more on local schemes to recharge groundwater.

He also heeded to the request from Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy to divert Rs 1,209 crore from the Rs 2,689 crore Central grant under the Vidharba-type Special Package to farmers in distress in six districts over the next three years for recharging groundwater level. Schemes such as Sujal Jalanayan and Suvarna Gramodaya for recharging and conservation of water could be taken up, said Union Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar who briefed the press.

Dr Singh, accompanied by Union Finance Minister P Chidambaram and Mr Pawar, held a review meeting of Agriculture, implementation of Vidharba-type package in the state and infrastructure projects.

Mr Chidambaram, who reviewed infrastructure and major investment proposals in Karnataka, announced work on the ONGC-anchored Mangalore Special Economic Zone (SEZ) would commence early next year with the clearance from Union Environment Ministry expected by the year-end.

Talking to newsmen, he said time frame had been set for various processes to enable the ONGC, the anchor company, start bidding for projects from January 2007.

The review was the second to be conducted by the Union Government to hasten the progress of infrastructure projects and enable steady flow of investments in public-private partnership initiatives, Mr Chidambaram said.

The first review meeting was held in Hyderabad recently involving projects in Andhra Pradesh.

(Eds: Pls pick up suitably from related series).

UNI