Karnataka Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy Friday set out on his village stay programme aimed at connecting with people and announced a 300-bed health care facility and a veterinary hospital for Yadgiri district.
After arriving at district headquarter town Yadgiri, about 500 km from Bengaluru, by train in the early hours, he reached Chandaraki village by road to a rousing reception.
The village, about 40 km from Yadgiri, was fully decked up with festoons, posters and flags dotting its roads as Kumaraswamy revived his pet "Grama Vastavya" or village stay programme, which he had launched in his first stint as chief minister in 2006.
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The school building where Kumaraswamy would spend the night has been decorated. Addressing the villagers, he announced a veterinary hospital would be established in Yadgiri district and said the work would commence Saturday.
"While coming here, people asked me for drinking water, veterinary hospital and road improvement. I have directed setting up of the veterinary hospital. I have also passed an order in the morning to set up a 300-bed hospital in Yadgiri.
There will be an ICU facility in the hospital," he said amid applause and cheers by the gathering. On the first anniversary of his government this month, Kumaraswamy announced the revival of the village stay programme.
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A number of ministers and MLAs received the chief minister when he arrived at Yadgiri. JD(S) senior vice president N H Konareddi beat the drum.
Soon after reaching the Chandaraki, Kumaraswamy met the villagers and inquired with them about their grievances and demands. A large number of people turned up to see the chief minister and submit petitions.
The district administration has set up 15 counters to receive the petitions. "Grama Vastavya is a way to reach out to the people, to understand their problems and to know the functioning of the government," Kumaraswamy had said while announcing revival of his programme earlier.
It was not a 'gimmick'. "I will spend the entire day to resolve local issues and also spend night there. Changes will be seen in the days to come," he had said Thursday. During his previous stint, Kumaraswamy used to spend the nights at villagers' houses as part of the initiative. This time, however, he has decided to stay in government schools.
In the first phase of his current programme, Kumaraswamy will visit Afzalpurin Kalaburagi district Saturday and Sidhanur in Raichur and Basavakalyana in Bidar district June 28 and 29.
PTI
