Budget announcement to Mysuru, Mandya, Kodagu receives appreciation for CM

NT Correspondent

Mysuru: The announcement of the establishment of a state-of-the-art Karnataka Archaeological Museum having features to enhance visitor experience through virtual reality and augmented reality technologies in Mysuru, constitution of the Chamundi Hills Development Authority, upgrade of medical infrastructure facilities in State-run hospitals by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah for his home district during this fiscal budget has received appreciation from people of various quarters of the society.

Former Mayor BL Bhairappa appreciated the CM for making announcements aimed at not only the development of tourism, but also those that will boost the image of the heritage city.

The CM announced to set up the museum through the department of Archaeology, Museums and Heritage to showcase the collections of antiques and artefacts in Mysuru.

The museum will come up on a two-and-half-acre plot belonging to the department located near Chamundi Vihar Stadium at an estimated cost of Rs 10 crore for designing the concept besides preparing the DPR.

The rich collection of art works including sculptures and antiquities will be showcased in a different format using new technologies to encourage interactive viewing by the visitors instead of having a static display. The museum provides a virtual experience of visiting the site for the visitors.

The long-pending demand of establishing the Chamundi Hills Development Authority along the lines of MM Hills Development Authority, which aims at providing better facilities to devotees, is also fulfilled by the CM.

Though Mysureans expected funds for renovation of heritage structures, the CM also announced to provide impetus to promote Mysuru-based Geographical Indication (GI) tagged products like Mysuru Mallige, Nanjangudu Rasabale, Mysuru Betel Leaf as branded products.

He also set aside Rs 50 crore for tribal development with focus on the Jenu Kuruba, Soliga, Yerava, Kadu Kuruba, Bettakuruba communities, which are found in eight districts, including in the Mysuru-Chamarajanagar-Kodagu districts.

He also announced that the Karnataka Exhibition Authority (KEA) campus will be upgraded on the lines of Pragati Maidan in Delhi, and provided with better infrastructure in order to hold expos throughout the year.

The other big announcement for Mysuru is the allocation of Rs 155 crore to ensure medical equipment and to operate three superspeciality hospitals in Mysuru. The other two are in Kalaburagi and Belagavi districts. The Trauma Care Centre in Mysuru also gets Rs 30 crore, and will open for the public with all necessary infrastructures.

A stateof-the-art skill laboratory, research centres and indoor sports facilities will be set up in Mysuru. An allied health sciences centre will also be set up in Mysuru district by Rajiv Gandhi University of Health Sciences.

The CM also sanctioned Rs 20 crore of Kidwai units in Mysuru to help cancer patients. The CM also announced to provide Rs 120 crore for the construction of rail barricades to mitigate human-elephant conflict, which usually is reported from Mysuru, Kodagu, Chamarajanagar and Hassan districts.

He also assured to set up an air strip in Kodagu.

The government has provided Rs 50 crore for Mysugar Company in Mandya for the year 2023-24, which has started crushing operations, besides to modernise the century-old sugar factory that was started by the Maharaja of Mysore.