Udupi: District-in-Charge Minister Pramod Madhwaraj said that he has laid the foundation stone and inaugurated welfare programmes worth Rs 8 crore in CMC limits on Wednesday.

Speaking to reporters here on Wednesday, the minister said that as many as 47 works are being inaugurated and the foundation stone laying ceremonies have been carried out so that the works would be executed immediately.

He said that one of the most important programmes of the day was inaugurating the e-waste management programme, wherein all the e-waste would be managed in the structure built for the purpose at the cost of Rs 9.35 crore in front of Sharada Hotel. He added that a hydraulic technique-based sucking machine used to unblock blockages in manholes was inaugurated.

He added that the weekly market at Santhekatte will henceforth be organised at a different place and a structure at the cost of Rs one crore would comed up on a one acre land. The work will get over within a month. The solid and liquid waste transport vehicles have been donated by Vijaya Bbank and Sahara Group respectively, he said.

He said the chief minister had announced Rs 10 crore worth development projects on his arrival on January 8 under SFC funds. A total of 84 works would be carried out under the provision.

He added that weekly market is also being inaugurated at Gopalpura ward. He said that government of India has instructed the state government to reduce the consumption of kerosene.

“Hence the Karnataka government is not able to offer proper quantity of kerosene following the instructions by the Central government to the fishermen. Government is planning to make the country kerosene-free.

As the quota is less, the government is trying to deposit the subsidy amount for the litres of kerosene offered into the accounts of the fishermen, who are inconvenienced by the new development.

However, until the new government takes over, the same system will continue, wherein the fishermen are given kerosene under PDS quota,” he said.