New K'taka Govt to seek special status for Hyd-K'taka region

Bangalore, May 30 (UNI) The new BJP Government in Karnataka will strive hard to bring pressure on the Centre to accord special status to the Hyderabad-Karnataka region under Article 371 of the Constitution.

Addressing newspersons after chairing the first-ever Cabinet meeting, Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa said extra efforts would be put in in this direction.

He said the state government was committed to protect the state's resources, land and its language and would seek the Centre to accord classical status to Kannada.

Referring to the poll promise with regard to free power supply to farmers, Mr Yeddyurappa announced that there would be supply of free power for up to 10 Horse Power irrigation pumpsets with certain conditions. The immediate priority for the government was to double power generation in two years.

''The state government will set a target of generating over 10,000 MW in two years with active private participation,'' he said.

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