Bengaluru, Aug 6 (IANS) Karnataka Chief Minister, D.K. Shivakumar, on Thursday inaugurated the 220th Flower Show at historical Lalbagh Botanical Garden in Bengaluru and announced that the state government is considering developing three new parks on the lines of Lalbagh to enhance the city’s green cover and provide more recreational spaces for the public.
CM Shivakumar inaugurated the 220th Flower Show, themed ‘Glory of the Ganga Empire’, organised as part of the Independence Day celebrations, and later addressed the media.
CM Shivakumar said the government plans to develop one of the proposed parks on Defence Ministry land in Bengaluru, for which it has already written to the Centre seeking permission.
“We intend to develop a park similar to Lalbagh on Defence land in Bengaluru. The land will continue to remain with the Defence Department, but we have sought permission to develop a public park there. I will soon meet the Defence Minister regarding this proposal. The Prime Minister had earlier permitted a similar park to be developed on Defence land in Varanasi,” he said.
He added that the government is also planning to establish another large park on forest land within Bengaluru after discussions with Forest Department officials.
“We are considering assigning the responsibility to agencies such as the Greater Bengaluru Authority (GBA), the Bangalore Development Authority (BDA), the Horticulture Department and other departments. Our government’s priority is to preserve Bengaluru’s greenery and improve the quality of life for its citizens,” he said.
Describing Lalbagh as more than just a botanical garden, Shivakumar said it represents Karnataka’s rich history and culture.
“This year’s flower show has been designed around the history of the Ganga Empire, highlighting the lives of farmers and agricultural traditions. The lakes built during the Ganga period continue to serve society even today. Their legacy reflects equality, agriculture and the struggles of farmers. The exhibition celebrates our culture, farming heritage and art,” he said.
He urged people from across the state to visit the exhibition during the 10-day event.
“I appeal to youth, women, senior citizens and families to come and witness the flower show. It gives me great pleasure to inaugurate this event. Lalbagh was established by Hyder Ali, developed further during the British era, and is now being preserved and enhanced by the Karnataka government,” he said.
The Chief Minister said the floral displays recreate the grandeur of the Ganga Empire of South India, showcasing its history, culture and contributions through flowers.
He also announced that the government would unveil a new farmer-government partnership initiative on August 15.
“We have designed a programme to increase green cover and improve the livelihoods of farmers. It will be a partnership between farmers and the government. The initiative will be announced on Independence Day as part of the government’s first 100-day agenda, with a focus on strengthening the lives of farmers,” he said.
Responding to questions about his recent meetings with senior Congress leaders following the Cabinet expansion, CM Shivakumar dismissed reports of internal discord.
“There is no problem in our party. The problems exist only in the media. We respect the sentiments of our senior leaders. We have 140 MLAs and 40 Legislative Council members, but only 33 ministerial positions are available.
“Every one of our legislators is qualified to become a minister, and we cannot say their aspirations are wrong. All of them worked together to bring the Congress party to power, and everyone must continue to work unitedly,” he said.
–IANS
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