In a major development for North Karnataka, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah announced the establishment of a full-fledged government medical college for Vijayapura, scrapping the previous administration's public-private partnership (PPP) model plan. The announcement came during a grand event on Friday where he inaugurated and laid foundation stones for projects worth over Rs 800 crore in the district.
Major Announcements and Inaugurations
The Chief Minister directly addressed a key public demand, assuring that the government medical college would be built entirely with state funds. This decision came in response to a persistent over 100-day agitation by activists who were opposed to handing the project to a private entity. Siddaramaiah stated that the previous government's plan to develop the college under a PPP model has been officially dropped.
Alongside this pivotal announcement, the CM inaugurated South India's first cycling velodrome in the city, marking a significant boost for sports infrastructure in the region. He also inaugurated the Rani Chennamma statue and named a bus station after the iconic freedom fighter, Kittur Rani Chennamma.
Record-Breaking Tenure and Political Support
Expressing gratitude to the people of Karnataka, Siddaramaiah noted that their blessings had allowed him to surpass former CM Devaraj Urs's record. He is now the longest-serving Chief Minister of the state, having served for more than 7 years and 239 days.
He highlighted the overwhelming support from Vijayapura, which was crucial to his government's success. "Winning 6 out of 8 assembly constituencies in Vijayapura showed the wholehearted support of the people," he said. The event saw the launch of projects with a total financial outlay exceeding Rs 800 crore, including Rs 82 crore for inaugurated works and over Rs 730 crore for projects where foundation stones were laid.
Infrastructure and Healthcare Expansion
Responding to a request from Vijayapura City MLA Basangouda Patil Yatnal, the Chief Minister approved the construction of a Rs 160-crore, 3-kilometre flyover connecting Kanakadasa Circle to Ambedkar and Shivaji Circles. This is expected to significantly ease traffic congestion in the city.
On the healthcare front, Siddaramaiah provided context for the new medical college, noting that Karnataka currently has 71 medical colleges, of which 22 are government-run. He assured that the government is committed to strengthening healthcare across districts by also setting up trauma centres and super-speciality hospitals in other regions.
The high-profile event was attended by a host of dignitaries including Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar, Vijayapura district minister MB Patil, several other ministers, MLAs, and religious seers like Vachananand Swamiji and Abhinava Sanganabasava Shivacharya Swamiji.
