Bengaluru, Feb 5 (NationPress) The Minister of Large and Medium Industries in Karnataka, M.B. Patil, expressed his appreciation on Thursday for the proactive stance taken by Union Ministers Pralhad Joshi and H.D. Kumaraswamy regarding the Bengaluru-Pune high-speed rail corridor. However, he emphasized that these discussions must transition into actionable plans.

"Following the presentation of the Union Budget, I emphasized the critical need for a high-speed rail link connecting Bengaluru, Pune, and Mumbai. I extend my gratitude to Union Ministers Joshi and Kumaraswamy for advocating this issue with Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw. This is not a political matter. It is essential that the initiative evolves beyond mere discussion and reaches a fruitful conclusion," stated Patil, who also serves as the Infrastructure Development Minister.

When responding to media inquiries, he remarked on the necessity for a robust and world-class connectivity system linking Bengaluru, the nation’s tech hub, with Mumbai, the financial center. This project is poised to deliver substantial advantages to various regions in central and north Karnataka and western Maharashtra, he added.

Patil pointed out that the recent Union Budget has introduced seven high-speed rail corridors, including Bengaluru-Hyderabad and Bengaluru-Chennai. Although these developments are positive, he noted that they may not significantly benefit the state. A Bengaluru-Pune-Mumbai corridor, in contrast, would enhance regions such as Tumakuru, Davanagere, Hubballi, Belagavi, Sangli, and Kolhapur, fostering economic and industrial advancement.

"I made this observation on Budget day. The active involvement of both Union Ministers in this matter is indeed encouraging," he remarked.

"It is uplifting to see Union Ministers Kumaraswamy and Joshi paying attention to this crucial issue. We must refrain from politicizing such initiatives. Correspondence has already been dispatched to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, and V. Somanna regarding this project," he stated.

In response to another query, Minister Patil clarified that a recent meeting of Lingayat MLAs from the Congress party was not a display of strength but rather a gathering convened by leaders Ashok Patil and B.R. Patil to discuss community welfare issues.

"We hold such meetings periodically. MLAs from other communities also engage in similar gatherings. However, framing only our meeting as an assertion of Lingayat strength is misleading," Patil clarified.

"Thanks to the Lingayat community's support, the Congress secured 178 seats in 1989, marking a historic triumph. Currently, the Congress is represented by 34 Lingayat MLAs. In the 2023 Assembly elections, our community voted for the Congress. Therefore, seeking greater representation for MLAs from our community in the government is justified, though we will not encroach upon others' shares," he asserted.

Patil further remarked that the MGNREGA scheme, introduced by the previous UPA government, received commendation even from BJP leaders like L.K. Advani, Nitin Gadkari, and Nirmala Sitharaman. However, he criticized the current Modi-led government for weakening the scheme and renaming it as VB-G RAM G. Patil urged BJP MPs to vocally support the integrity of this initiative to maintain their credibility.