Govt taking steps to asphalt roads by March

The process to asphalt 5,000 to 6,000 kms of roads in the Karnataka would begin by March next year, PWD Minister H C Mahadevappa told the assembly today.
Replying during question hour, the minister said Rs 245 crore had been allocated for maintenance of state highways and Rs 162.90 crore for Main District Roads during the current financial year.
He said Rs 1,000 crore had been sanctioned from Central Road Fund for developing economically important roads providing inter-state connectivity.
It was however suggested by Ramesh Kumar (Cong) that the state should seek at least Rs 5,000 crore from the Centre for completing works in all the 224 Assembly constituencies.

Forest Minister Ramanath Rai assured that trench will be constructed around forests to avoid increasing incidents of elephants entering human habitations.
Replying during zero hour, he said Rs 30 crore has been allocated for this purpose and the government is mulling to provide subsidy to farmers for erecting solar fences around their agriculture fields.