Bangalore, May 27: All set to head the first-ever
BJP government in the south, party's Chief Ministerial
candidate in Karnataka B S Yeddyurappa on Tuesday said his first
priority was to boost energy production and create a congenial
investment climate in the state.
"We want to add at least 5,000 mw of energy in the
state to take the total production to 10,000 mw to ensure
power supply", Yeddyurappa told agencies in an interview.
"We will transform Karnataka in the next five years.
People will themselves witness the changes", he promised.
He said his government will also attach priority to
the irrigation sector. "We will give impetus for completion of
all on-going irrigation projects and to enlarge the area under
irrigation to benefit farmers".
Yeddyurappa last night met Governor Rameswar Thakur
and formally staked claim to form the BJP government after
obtaining the support of five independents to cross the magic
figure of 113 seats in the 224-member House.
Yeddyurappa, who presented two "please all" budgets as
finance minister in the JDS-BJP coalition government during
2006 and 2007, said the BJP government will implement welfare
programmes for all sections of the society, particularly for
SCs, STs, minorities and down trodden.
The 66-year-old Yeddyurappa, also popularly known as
farmers' leader in the state, lashed out at congress and JD(S)
for expressing what he called "lip sympathy" to SCs, STs,
minorities and poor without implementing any welfare
programmes.
Yeddyurappa said during the 20-month period when his
party was in the JD(S)-led coalition government he implemented
several welfare programmes for these sections, which has now
been recognised.
"Schemes like Bhagyadalakshmi Baaramma and Sandhya
Suraksha" have touched the hearts of poor people, who have
expressed their appreciation by supporting BJP in this
election", he said.
Turning to the complaints of it and Bt sectors which
have been pointing to infrastructure woes of Bangalore City,
he said immediate attention would be accorded to the problem.
Yeddyurappa said in the run-up to the election about 650
industrialists interacted with him and told them about their
problems.
He said an effective single window agency system would be
put in place to eliminate harassment of investors.
Bureau Report
|