100 days in office were like trial by fire, says Karnataka CM

Bengaluru: Karnataka Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa on Tuesday likened his 100 days in office to a trial by fire in the wake of severe floods hitting the state. "These 100 days were like 'Agni Pareeksha'. Never ever has the state witnessed floods of this scale in the last 120years.

When hundreds of villages were submerged, we spent a month in those flood-hit areas and took the assistance of the Central government," he told reporters here. The Chief Minister was speaking during the release of a book in Kannada 'Dina Nooru, Saadhane Nooraru' (Hundred days, hundreds of achievements). Yediyurappa said the relief measures taken up by his government for the flood victims were the biggest achievement in the last 100 days.

He claimed no other state had ever carried out relief work of this scale as officers, Ministers and MLAs worked beyond their limit to provide relief to the flood-affected.

The Chief Minister emphasised that in the coming days the focus of the state would be to improve a lot of farmers, irrigation, housing, development of Bengaluru, industrial growth and tourism. Bengaluru has been the focus area of his government, he said. "I toured the city once. Our MLAs and ministers from Bengaluru are working day and night for the development of the city. Give us 100 more days and you will change its scenario. I will demonstrate to you to your satisfaction," Yediyurappa said.

He said the ban on liquor was not on his agenda. Speaking about the some of the achievements, the chief minister said from July 26, 2019, till date, treatment has been approved for 1.29 lakh beneficiaries under the AyushmanBharat-Arogya Karnataka scheme, for which Rs 177. 23 crore has been spent.

He said the state government has sent a proposal for setting up new medical colleges in Chikkamagaluru, Chikkaballapura, Yadgir and Haveri districts at a cost of Rs325 crore each. Of the four, approval has been granted by the Centre for three while the state government is awaiting nod for Chikkaballapura medical college, he added.