BENGALURU: Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy’s 2018-19 budget has disappointed many expecting some thrust to get the new taluks functioning. The four-decade-long demand on creation of taluks, though approved in both assembly and council, had failed to gather momentum from the start. Former chief minister Siddaramaiah while presenting the 2017-18 budget had declared the creation of 50 taluks in 21 districts at a total cost of Rs 2,000 crore.
“The failure to create new taluks for past five years has forced people to face many inconveniences,’’ says BJP MLC Kavatagimath Mahantesh Mallikarjun.
He accused the previous government of failing miserably in not making any budgetary provisions for setting up the necessary infrastructure and appointing the required staff. “In some new taluks, revenue inspectors had been appointed as special tahsildars. Thus without tahsildar offices, creation of new taluks is in limbo,’’ he said and promised to raise the issue in next legislative council session.
When contacted, Revenue Minister R V Deshpande asked this correspondent not to read between lines. The budget emphasises that all initiatives highlighted in previous budget will be implemented. “Tahsildars had been appointed in all 50 new taluks,’’ he said.