K'taka to implement report on imbalances

The Karnataka government would 'sincerely' implement the Dr Nanjundappa report on regional imbalances to ensure overall development of the state, chief minister Dharam Singh said.

The government had initiated relief works in the flood-ravaged areas of Belgaum, Bijapur and Bagalkote at a cost of Rs 400 crore, Singh, who declared open the new North Western Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation bus terminus here, said.

Singh said he had requested the centre to release Rs 1,167 crore as tsunami-type assistance in view of the rain havoc in south Karnataka.

He would be calling on Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in two-three days to seek more central assistance.

He said the state government had already release rs 46 crores for laying of broad guage line between bagalkote and gadag and another rs 20 crores would be released.

Singh instructed the dcs of dharwad and gadag to intervene and arrest the fall in prices of onions and chillies to help farmers.

On the demand for a bench of state high court bench at hubli-dharwad, the chief minister said he and the law minister would meet chief justice of karnataka high court and discuss with him commencement of the circuit bench and gulbarga.