Comprehensive development of Puttur constituency by strengthening infrastructure is priority, says Ashok Kumar Rai

Puttur MLA Ashok Kumar Rai working on road, water, sports infrastructure, tourism, medical college development for constituency.

Ashok Kumar Rai, Puttur MLA, on Saturday, October 26, said he was working towards the comprehensive development of the constituency by strengthening the road, drinking water, and sports infrastructure, promoting tourism and bringing a government medical college.

Speaking to reporters here, Mr. Rai said the government has sanctioned ₹1,010 crore for drinking water project out of which ₹400 crore was already sanctioned and the works were underway. The project would also supply drinking water to 28 villages in Sullia constituency too. As Puttur town lacks underground drainage system, he was working hard to bring one, the MLA added.

Mr. Rai said the Puttur constituency was expected to receive grants for the development of 68 km of roads under the Namma Grama Namma Rasthe scheme. He intends to develop Puttur-Uppinangady Road as a model stretch along with its realignment. Issues concerning the widening of National Highway 75 at Perne and Biliyur were sorted out while the vehicular overpasses at Mani and Panemangaluru and the flyover at Kalladka would open by this year-end. He intends to get saplings of native fruit-bearing trees planted on road flanks in the constituency, the MLA added.

The MLA said he wants industrial development too in the constituency. While the Dakshina Kannada Cooperative Milk Union Ltd. would establish a new facility on 15 acres of land in Puttur, 150 acres of land were reserved for industrial development with two entrepreneurs eager to invest about ₹300 crore. Mr. Rai was hopeful the government would announce a government medical college in the next Budget for which 40 acres of land was set apart.

To address inadequacies in sports infrastructure, he has plans to set up a stadium with synthetic track on 20 acres of land while the Karnataka State Cricket Association was interested in developing two stadiums. A detailed project report for ₹570 crore worth of projects to develop tourism in the constituency was submitted to NABARD, he added.

The 12th edition of the Jana Mana programme by Rai Estate and Educational Charitable Trust wherein cloths would be distributed to people along with Deepavali Saha Bhojana is scheduled on November 2 at the Kombettu taluk stadium in Puttur. Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar were among the dignitaries to attend, he said. While 60,000 people had received clothes last year, he intends to distribute clothes to 75,000 people this year. All members of a family could attend the programme with male members too getting cloths, he added.