Programmes will yield result this year: CM

By Our Special Correspondent

GADAG, OCT. 16. The plans and programmes conceptualised by the Congress(I) Government would become more visible on the ground during the second year of its regime, the Chief Minister, Mr. S. M. Krishna, said here today.

Mr. Krishna told presspersons that the first year of his rule had been mainly devoted to formulating plans, projects, and tying up of resources for implementation, all of which would begin yielding results this year .

The Finance Ministry of the union Government had commended the State's plans for energy reforms, road repairs and strengthening of water conservation measures, for all of which World Bank assistance was available. The State Government had drawn up an ambitious programme of setting up ``raitha mitras'' in all the 745 hoblis in the State, which would help transfer the fruits of research to the farmers' fields.

The Karnataka farmers, he said, had the capacity to adapt themselves to the new package, which would help them go in for high yielding varieties, and that would boost their economy. All these plans, which were on paper, would be translated into reality. The focus of attention of these efforts would be ordinary farmers, while the well-to-do farmers could take care of their own requirements, he added.

Replying to a question, Mr. Krishna termed the finances of the State as reasonably good as could be seen from the Planning Commission's approval to raise the size of the annual plan for next year from Rs. 5,800 crores to Rs. 7,250 crores. This was an eloquent testimony to the financial health of the State, he said.

The State Government had taken several steps towards mobilisation of internal resources and had already ensured increase in betterment levy, college fees, and soon. A proposal for the hike in the power tariff had been made to the Energy Regulations Commission.

Mr. Krishna admitted that the recent increase in petrol prices would hit the common man hard but was unwilling to say whether the State Government was planning to reduce the sales tax to provide some relief to the consumer. This move was not under consideration at present, he said.

As for transparency in administration, which was one of the main planks of his Government, Mr. Krishna said every public work would be executed through tenders, and this would apply to the government-owned companies too.

Mr. Krishna was unwilling to spell out the policy of the State Government regarding the dispute over the allocation of Krishna waters. Asked if the State Government was planning to seek a negotiated settlement with the other two riparian States, Mr. Krishna said he would not be able to say anything till he consulted the Opposition in the matter.

The Chief Minister said the Government had decided to speed up the work of the Krishna Basin projects. Asked if he proposed to talk to his counterparts in Andhra Pradesh and Maharahstra on negotiated settlement of the water dispute, Mr. Krishna said that he would be solely guided by what the all-party meeting would decide.

Replying to another question, Mr. Krishna said the Opposition parties in the State had been cooperating with him except for the occasional barbs. He always welcomed criticism and desired to follow the path of consensus, he said. When a pressperson quipped that the Chief Minister appeared to have more friends in the Opposition than in his own party, he said: ``My party is solidly behind me''.

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Section  : Southern States
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