Karnataka announces various sops

Dharwad: The state government has announced various sops for north Karnataka during the just-concluded Assembly session at Belgaum.

Addressing the Assembly, chief minister BS Yaddyurappa said the region would get projects and schemes worth Rs 1,000 crore. He also sanctioned funds to start the ground work.

The various projects include a Rs 5-crore food processing unit at Mudhol in Bagalkot district, a weather change research institute at University of Agricultural Sciences in Dharwad (Rs 5 crore), special complex for silver jewellery manufacturing units at Mangur village near Chikkodi, spice park at Byadagi in Haveri district (Rs 10 crore), auto park at Basavakalyan (Rs 10 crore), and a steel plant on 10,000 acres near Koppal.

These apart, a Rs 600 crore special fund would be set up to provide drinking water supply to 6,848 fluoride-affected villages in North Karnataka, besides developing Tagore beach in Karwar (Rs 5 crore), constructing footpaths in hilly areas in Uttara Kannada forests (Rs 15 crore) and completing the Chimmalagi lift irrigation project.

In Belgaum, the chief minister announced the development of a heritage botanical garden at Vaccine Depot, construction of ring road, foundry park near Macche, wholesale market yard for horticulture products and upgradation of the sugar technology institute. He also sanctioned Rs 150 crore for renovation of underground drainage system.