At an epochal moment one hundred days ago, our government sprang to life with a bow to the people of Karnataka and a vow  to meet their  aspirations.  One  hundred  days  may appear  too  shor t  a period  as  a  yardstick  to assess  a  government’s  achievements  but,  I feel,  it  is enough  to serve as an  indicator of  the thrust  and  pace  of  the  administration’s endeavours.

My fellow-citizens of Karnataka, you installed us  in office with complete  trust  in us and hope in our ability  to  take  the state  forward, after your  disillusionment  with  successive  ruling administrations  of  the  past.  Your  trust  and hope encase us as a protective citadel and we, on our par t, will never  let you down. You  the  people  have  observed  the  path  our government has  trodden  from  the moment  I took  the  oath  of  office  in  the  name  of  the farmers, on 30 May 2008.   You are aware of the effor ts we put  in  to surmount  the crisis arising out of  the  fer tiliser shor tage  right at  the dawn  of  our  administration. We  have  taken other  bold  measures  to  wipe  the  farmers’ tears.  Ours  is  a  government  that  evinces genuine concern for the farmers’ welfare. We have  been  at   the  foref ront   in  the implementation  of  pro-farmer  programmes and have been viewed as a model  for others.

I believe in all sincerity that you the people of the  state  have  endorsed  the  budget  I presented on 17 July 2008. I feel in fact that he  pragmatic  budget  has  been  able  to enhance  the confidence  that you  reposed  in us. I traveled across the state to elicit farmers’ views, hear their grievances and obtain their suggestions to incorporate in the budget. This was  a  testimony  to  our  desire  to  serve  the farming community  in  its entirity.

Our budget also incorporated 90 per cent of the  promises  we  made  in  ‘Sankalpa’  our election manifesto. The budget amply reflects your expectations and aspirations. The onus of implementing the projected measures lies now on our shoulders.

Esteemed  friends,  the  legislature passed  the budget on 31st July 2008. Within the span of 40  days  since  then, we  have  been  able  to begin  implementation  of  most  of  the programmes cited in the budget. This is truly hear tening, considering  the pace at which a government  normal ly  functions.  The members  of  my  Cabinet  and  the  entire administrat ion  have  enabled  me  to accompl ish  this  task.   I   extend  my congratulations  to all of  them.

I  had  given  an  assurance  at  a  meeting  of senior  officers  called  to  streamline  the administration that I would submit a progress repor t of  the government’s  functioning once  in every hundred days. This, under  the  title of ‘Springboard  for a glittering  future’  is  the  first of  such repor ts, It points the direction in which our government will move forward in the next five years. I feel enthralled that we have been able to take up so many diverse programmes for implementation in a mere hundred days. I am  amazed  too  that  we  have  achieved  so much despite the obstacles we encountered in our path.

The steps that our government has initiated to ensure  that we  transform  your  expectations into  concrete  benefits  have  insti l led confidence  in  me.  Our  admirers  who  have described us have employed encomiums like ‘hundred  and one  days    hundreds of  steps’ which might appear as enthusiastic but such expressions cer tainly are no exaggeration.

Numerous programmes we have launched in the  fields  of  agriculture,  education, infrastructure and urban development under our resolve to create a prosperous Karnataka are  taking shape satisfactorily. Our pro-people measures  are  directly  benefiting  the  under- privileged  sections  of  society,  farmers, women  and  chi ldren,   enabl ing  the development of these groups. The decisions we have reached, the stands we have taken, the  directives we  have  issued  and  the  task forces we have set up are all ecorded  in black and white.

Amid all  the bouquets of achievements, one sore  spot  causes  me  both  concern  and anguish.  According  to  a  recent  survey,  Karnataka bears the blemish of a high degree of  corruption.  This  is  a  legacy  from successive  governments  over  the  decades. To wipe out  this black mark and provide an able,  honest  and  transparent  administration will be our prime priority.

For me,  dear  friends,  the  completion  of  an eventful  100  days  in  office  is  truly unforgettable.  This  brief  repor t  of  our administrative progress invigorates me. I am deeply  indebted  to all of you who have directly and  indirectly  helped me  to  attain  this  lofty level of confidence and  resolve.

9th September 2008
Bangalore
(B S YEDDYURAPPA)
Chief Minister of Karnataka