Centre, state have share in metro project; serving people important, not credit: DK Shivakumar
Bengaluru, Aug 5 (PTI): Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar on Tuesday said that both state and central governments hold shares in the metro projects, as he asserted that serving the people was more important than "credit politics".
Shivakumar, who is also the Minister in-charge for Bengaluru development, inspected the soon-to-be-launched Yellow line of "Namma Metro" (Bengaluru Metro).
Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to inaugurate the Yellow Line on August 10.
"This is our metro. The CM and I had requested the PM to inaugurate the Yellow line and he has given the time now. This is not a project of the central government alone, the state too has 50 per cent share in the project. We are all serving the public." Shivakumar said in response to a question.
"The PM will inaugurate the Yellow line on August 10. The 19.15 km line with 16 stations was built at a cost of Rs 7,610 crore. A small programme will be organised at the auditorium in Indian Institute of Management, Bengaluru. The PM, CM and the local legislators would travel in the inaugural trip of the train thereafter....We will submit an appeal to the PM on funds needed for the double decker project's land acquisition," he said.
Asked about the extension of the metro network and building more double-decker metro lines (road and metro corridor), Shivakumar said, "It would be nice if the MPs who are making a lot of noise got us some funds. The MPs don't speak a word on the funds, but are engaged in nitpicking. We have decided to build double decker metro lines for all metro lines in the future."
All the three Lok Sabha seats of Bengaluru are represented by BJP MPs.
The Commissionerate of Railway Safety gave the clearance for the Yellow line on July 31.
The Deputy CM hit out at Bengaluru South BJP Tejasvi Surya for alleging delay in opening the line for the service of the people.
"We can't rush through things like safety. Our MP is a young blood in a hurry and doesn't have any experience," he said.
Noting that three train sets have arrived for the Yellow line and the fourth set will come in August, Shivakumar said three trains will operate now at an interval of 25 minutes. The frequency would be increased to 10 minutes once more train sets arrive. This is a crucial line to link the IT hubs to the city.
Replying to a question on inauguration of Hebbal flyover's new loop, Shivakumar said it will be opened to the public before August 15 after taking CM's availability into consideration for the inaugural.
"The KR-Puram-City loop will be opened now and the Airport service road-City loop will be opened a little later. We are planning a new tunnel from Nagawara to Esteem Mall to agricultural university. This would be a 1.5 km tunnel and it is different from the larger tunnel road being planned," he said.
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Separate nodal officer in all districts to prevent female foeticides in Karnataka: Minister
Belagavi (PTI): Accepting that the female foeticide has not stopped in the state, Karnataka Health Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao on Tuesday said that the government is taking strict measures to prevent it.
The minister said the government is appointing separate nodal officers in all districts and tightening measures to prevent foeticide, which he called a "social evil".
He also assured that the government will consider strengthening legislation to control such activities.
The minister was responding to a question by BJP MLC C T Ravi in the Legislative Council.
"Female foeticides have certainly not stopped. If you look at the sex ratio, there is a lot of difference. I accept that this is happening," Rao said.
"Foeticides are not happening under pressure; voluntarily, it is happening, for not wanting a girl child. These things are happening based on the sex determination of the foetus at some hospitals. Sex determination is illegal, but with the advancement in technology, portable ultrasound machines have been developed, which can be easily carried anywhere, and scans and tests can be done. This needs to be controlled. We will bring it to the notice of the central government," he said.
In some districts and in a few hospitals, a higher number of male child births is happening. It is found with the help of intelligence input, the minister said.
"Information is being gathered on the taluk in which the male-female ratio is worsening, what is happening in which hospital, and appropriate action is being taken to crack down on such a network, after proper evaluation."
Decoy operations have been done at seven places in the last two years, to identify those involved in illegal activities linked to female foeticides, and actions have been taken against officials and hospitals involved, he said, adding that more needs to be done on priority.
Responding to a question by Ravi about whether any stringent legislation is being brought, Rao said, the government will consider strengthening the legislation and making it stricter to control this.
"Some amendments have been made to the existing laws in the last two years....advanced technology and the internet is being used to carry out such things, also oral medicines for abortions are available over the counter.
We need to look into bringing legislation to control them. The Food and Drug Administration has issued instructions to pharmacists that the sale of such drugs should be documented."
The minister also said that measures are also being taken for the effective implementation of the Pre-Conception and Pre-Natal Diagnostic Techniques (PC & PNDT) Act, and awareness is being created against the identification of female foetuses and female foeticide.
