M.M. Hills: In what may be the beginning of getting rid of backward district tag for Chamarajanagar, the Special Cabinet Meeting of Chief Minister Siddaramaiah held here yesterday has approved Rs. 3,647.62 crore worth works to be taken up in Mysuru Revenue Division, with a special thrust on constituting separate Authority for Manteswamy, Rachappaji and Siddappaji at Chikkellur in Kollegal taluk.

The Cabinet has given its consent for Rs. 1,787 crore worth proposals pertaining to irrigation sector. It is being mulled over to conduct similar Cabinet meetings in each of the four revenue divisions of the State, with the yesterday’s meeting being the second after Kalaburagi. The next Cabinet meeting is scheduled at Nandi Hill coming under Bengaluru Revenue Division.

 In a joint media briefing, CM Siddaramaiah and Deputy CM D.K. Shivakumar said, about 78 agendas related to Mysuru Revenue Division were discussed at the meeting.

“According to the report of D.M. Nanjundappa Committee, Chamarajanagar is considered as one of the most backward districts and our Government with the intention of removing the tag, shall be chalking out development initiatives and releasing grants to realise the same. The agendas were related to Public Works Department, Minor Irrigation, Energy, Health and Family Welfare and Rural Development and Panchayat Raj and the schemes like rejuvenation of lakes, road connectivity for the tribal areas,” said CM Siddaramaiah.

The works worth Rs. 203 crore were approved for the development of areas inhabited by Scheduled Tribes, Rs. 210 crore for installation of railway barricades to check man-elephant conflicts, Rs. 215 crore for drinking water project, Rs. 228 crore for health and Rs. 85 crore for upgradation of 250-bed sub-division hospital to the District Hospital.