BENGALURU, 26 JAN

Karnataka Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot on Friday said State government is working hard to realise the aspirations of Constitution, as he highlighted that it has fulfilled the commitment by implementing the five guarantees successfully, and its management of the drought.

The Governor was speaking after unfurling the national tricolour at Field Marshal Manekshaw Parade Ground here on Republic Day. “The Preamble of the Constitution provides to all its citizens justice, liberty, equality and fraternity. The Constitution of India has envisaged all its citizens equal opportunities and equal status to develop themselves with self-dignity and thereby contribute to the development of the nation. My government is working hard to realise these aspirations of the Constitution," Gehlot said.

Further noting that as per norms and procedures delineated in the Drought Manual 2020, Karnataka has declared drought in 223 out of 236 taluks out of which 196 are categorised as severely drought-affected, the Governor said the State government had sought funds from NDRF for undertaking drought relief and mitigation measures in the 195 drought affected taluks. "To alleviate the distress of farmers an interim relief of input subsidy of up to Rs 2,000 per farmer in the drought-declared taluks is being released by the State government directly to the Aadhaar-linked bank account of farmers. The process to transfer about Rs 580 crore to about 30 lakh farmers is underway," he said.

Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, ministers of his cabinet, legislators, and officials were among the dignitaries present at the event, which saw a march past parade by security forces, police, NCC and contingents from schools, followed by cultural programmes.

Listing out various programmes being implemented by the government, Gehlot said, "Brand Bengaluru", an ambitious project of the government has been formulated with the idea that the citizen's voice is the government's voice for all-round development of the City of Bengaluru and making it a global hub. Keeping in view the comprehensive development of Bengaluru and realising the need to lay more emphasis on smooth traffic, a Rs 2,000 crore project has been launched and the process of inviting tender for white topping of major roads has been initiated, he further said, to find a permanent solution to the congestion of the City, it is proposed to construct tunnel roads at selected places.

The Governor said arrangements have been made to incorporate a photo of the design of the preamble of the 'Indian Constitution' in all the schools of the State and to read the preamble during daily prayers. For the first time a scheme providing loans from Karnataka State Financial Corporation to minority community entrepreneurs at a 6 per cent interest rate up to Rs 10 crore is implemented, he said, adding during the current year, the government is taking steps to distribute equipment to the disabled at a cost of Rs 54.40 crore.

On the occasion of the completion of 50 years of renaming as Karnataka, "Karnataka Sambhram-50" programmes are being celebrated all over the State throughout the year, he said. State-level Single Window Clearance Committees have approved 165 investment projects, wherein, Rs 45,325 crore investment will be made and will create employment opportunities for 42,292 people, the Governor said.

Pointing out that 42 per cent of the software exports from the country are contributed by Karnataka, he said, the State government regularly revises its policies to suit the changing requirements of IT & BT sectors and to upgrade the skills in the most advanced and emerging technologies. —PTI