The Karnataka Cabinet meeting, chaired by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, in Kalaburagi on Tuesday, September 17 decided to request the Union government for an annual grant of Rs 5,000 crore to support the development of the Kalyana Karnataka region. The Cabinet also decided to establish a separate secretariat for the region. This move aims to bolster the region’s progress under Article 371(J) of the Constitution, which grants special status to Kalyana Karnataka.
At a press conference following the meeting, CM Siddaramaiah said that while the state government has been releasing Rs 5,000 crore annually for Kalyana Karnataka's development, the Union government has not provided financial support since Article 371(J) was enacted through a constitutional amendment in 2013. The Cabinet's request is aimed at securing much-needed funding from the Union government to further the region's development.
During the meeting, the Cabinet approved Rs 11,770 crore for 46 projects focused on Kalyana Karnataka. A Rs 7,200 crore drinking water project was also approved for villages in Bidar and Kalaburagi, and there were plans to upgrade Bidar and Raichur towns into Municipal Corporations.
The Chief Minister mentioned that of the 56 issues discussed during the meeting, 46 were directly related to the Kalyana Karnataka region, with a total of Rs 12,692 crore worth of projects proposed. One of the major initiatives discussed was the Narayanpur Dam water project, which would be implemented in partnership with the Union government, sharing the Rs 7,200 crore cost equally.
The Cabinet also decided to address the region's employment concerns by filling 17,439 vacant government positions in a phased manner. The construction of 45 Primary Health Centers, 31 Community Health Centers, and the upgrading of 9 taluk hospitals in the region was approved, with an estimated cost of Rs 890 crore, would also take place.
This meeting coincided with the celebration of Kalyana Karnataka Liberation Day, with Siddaramaiah recalling that the constitutional amendment for Article 371(J) was passed in 2012 during the Congress government, led by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, with efforts from leaders like Mallikarjun Kharge and late Dharam Singh. The government is also reviewing the progress of backward taluks in the region based on a report by a new committee led by Govinda Rao.