Expectations in air ahead of MM Hills cabinet meeting

Mysuru: Chamarajanagar district will host a special cabinet meeting atop MM Hills on April 24 — the first such meeting since the district's creation 25 years ago.
A mini cabinet meeting was last held in BR Hills in 2001 by then CM SM Krishna. Locals hope the event will bring a wave of development announcements from the CM, whose Varuna segment is attached to Chamarajanagar Lok Sabha segment.
The meeting has raised a lot of expectations among the people of the Chamarajanagar and adjoining districts in the Old Mysuru region, mainly Mysuru and Mandya, as the CM is likely to announce a slew of development works and schemes.
The special cabinet meeting, headed by the CM, will begin at 12 noon. The CM is expected to stay at the MM Hills after the meeting.
The CM will also unveil a statue of Basavanna, installed in the premises of the district administration office in Chamarajanagar on April 25. He will also inaugurate the newly constructed Kuruba community hall at Mangala village of Chamarajanagar district.
The Chamarajanagar district administration has beefed up security atop the hills following the meeting. To keep MM Hills clean during the meeting, cleaning works are going on a war footing from last week.
The district administration has constituted various committees, including a food committee, protocol committee, bandobast, accommodation, publicity, and several other committees by deputing various department officials, and is making preparations for the success of the meeting.
A German-style tent is being put up at the grounds located behind Vajramale, where the special cabinet meeting will take place. Police have already started preventing the entry of the public on the road connecting to Vajramale Bhavan and its surroundings atop the hills.
Guest houses booked
As all the 34 cabinet ministers, including the senior department officials and district administration, are taking part in the meeting, Srikshetra Malemahadeshwara Development Authority has reserved all rooms at its guest houses at Nagamale, Jenumale, and other VIP guest houses. Srikshetra Development Authority has also made preparations for the success of this meeting without causing disturbance to devotees, officials said.
Deputy chief minister DK Shivakumar and several other ministers are visiting the hills one day in advance on April 23 to oversee the preparations, besides visiting the temple.
Srikshetra MM Hills Development Authority executive secretary AE Raghu said that the authority has been making all preparations, including accommodation arrangements for all 34 cabinet ministers as well as for officials arriving along with them for special cabinet meetings at its special VIP guest houses as per the directions from the deputy commissioner, district administration officials, and police.
Routine puja and other activities will be carried out at the MM Hills temple without any disturbance to devotees, even though the meeting will be held. However, its VIP and special guest houses and rooms will not be available for devotees on April 22, 23, and 24 on account of the meeting. Raghu said the officials stopped booking rooms during these three days.
State Election Commissioner gives nod
Additional deputy commissioner Geetha Hudeda said that deputy commissioner Shilpa Nag also clarified with the State Election Commission as it has declared elections to MM Hills gram panchayat on May 13 and enforced a code of conduct regarding holding the cabinet meeting. "She has written a letter to State Election Commissioner GS Sangreshi, who gave the nod and asked the govt not to make any major announcements pertaining to MM Hills gram panchayat limits," she said.