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BSY meets PM, several Union Ministers; discusses state issues

Bengaluru: Over a week after taking charge as chief minister of Karnataka, B S Yediyurappa on Tuesday met Prime Minister Narendra Modi and discussed about various irrigation projects and sought early nod for the proposed Rs 5,912-crore reservoir in Mekedatu on the Cauvery river.

During his one-day visit to the national capital after becoming the chief minister, Yediyurappa also paid a courtesy call to Vice President Venkaiah Naidu and met several Union Ministers including Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, Highways and Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari as well as Agriculture and Rural Development Minister Narendra Singh Tomar.

He also called on BJP working President J P Nadda and is likely to meet party president Amit Shah to discuss about his cabinet formation.

BJP MPs Shobha Karandlaje and MLAs Jagadish Shettar and R Ashok were present in the meeting with the Union Ministers.

In the meeting with the Prime Minister, the Karnataka chief minister discussed about drought and flood situation confronted by the state among other issues.

According to official statement, Yediyurappa demanded the prime minister on setting up of an All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) in twin city of Hubli-Dharwad.

He also requested the prime minister for early clearance of the proposed Mekedatu balancing reservoir-cum-drinking water project, which aims to reduce the spillage of surplus water to sea and help meet drinking water needs of Bengaluru, which is located 110 km from Mekedatu in Kanakpura taluk, Ramanagara district.

The chief minister also sought the PM’s intervention in early publication of a gazette notification of the Krishna Water Dispute Tribunal as well as Mahadayi Water Dispute Tribunal besides declaring the Upper Krishna Project Stage-3 as national project.

Later in a meeting with the Union Finance Minister, Yediyurappa requested her to resolve many pending issues of the state besides seeking income tax exemption to State Building and other construction Workers’ Boards by including them under section 10 (29A) of the Income Tax Act, 1961.

He also requested for the release of Performance Grant under 14th Finance Commission to urban as well as rural local bodies.

In a meeting with the Union Agriculture and Rural Development minister Tomar, the Chief Minister requested him to extend the cut-off date for enrolment of farmers under the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojna (PMFBY) for the ongoing kharif Season to August 14, 2019.

He also sought the Union Minister to settle the pending claims under the PMFBY and release funds to meet statutory obligations under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS) for current fiscal as also clear outstanding net advances of the state for the year 2015-16, 2016-17 and 2019-20.That apart, the chief minister requested for release of financial benefits to all eligible beneficiaries under PM-KISAN in the state.

In a meeting with Highways and Transport Minister Gadkari, the state chief minister requested the central government to take up on a priority certain most important highway projects such as four lane ring road for Belgaum city, upgradation of Chitradurga-Shimoga section of NH13 and permanent restoration work of Shiradighat on NH75 and Sampaje ghat on NH275.

Among others, he demanded the Centre to declare as national highway from Belur-Chikkamagaluru as NH373 for a length of 25 kms and approve a ring road project around Shivamoga city.

Earlier during the day, the chief minister reviewed construction of a new building of Karnataka Bhavan at Chanakyapuri in the national capital.

Yediyurappa informed the senior state officials that the proposed blueprint of the construction plan does not showcase the state’s identity, culture and heritage.

The chief minister asked the state officials to revise the blueprint to ensure the building space is used properly and directed them to plan office rooms on one floor alone instead of two floors proposed earlier and use the rest of the space for guest rooms and for showcasing the state culture and heritage, an official statement added.