BELAGAVI: Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Friday said that the long-standing development disparity between North Karnataka and South Karnataka would be addressed based on the recommendations of the Prof Govindrao Committee, which is studying the implementation of the Dr Nanjundappa Report.
Replying to a discussion on the development of North Karnataka during the winter session of the legislature in Belagavi, the CM launched a sharp attack on the BJP-led Opposition, asserting that it had “no moral right” to speak on the region’s neglect.
The CM said that the State Government had spent Rs 1,06,066 crore on the five guarantee schemes so far, of which Rs 46,277 crore was spent in North Karnataka. “While 58% of the state’s population resides in South Karnataka and 42% in North Karnataka, 43.63% of the total guarantee expenditure has gone to the latter,” he added.
He recalled that it was the BJP-led Union Government that had rejected Article 371(J) for the development of the Hyderabad-Karnataka region, while the Congress-led UPA government under Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh approved it following sustained efforts by AICC president Mallikarjun Kharge.
Blames Centre for farmer distress
Highlighting issues related to sugarcane pricing, CM Siddaramaiah said that Karnataka is the second-largest sugarcane producing state in the country, with around 6.7 crore tonnes of cane and 57.77 lakh MT of sugar produced annually. He pointed out that the Centre fixes the Fair and Remunerative Price (FRP) for sugarcane, ethanol quotas, and MSPs.
“The Centre has fixed the FRP at Rs 3,550 per tonne, including harvesting and transport. Yet BJP leaders are misleading farmers by joining their protests,” he said, adding that state BJP president BY Vijayendra should “camp in Delhi” if he was genuinely concerned about farmers.
He alleged that farmers in Karnataka were suffering owing to Centre’s policies, forcing the State Government to provide an additional Rs 50 per tonne incentive, amounting to Rs 300 crore, placing extra burden on the state exchequer. He also accused the Centre of withholding Rs 13,000 crore under the Jal Jeevan Mission.
GST share, stalled irrigation projects
The CM said that Karnataka had contributed Rs 4.5 lakh crore in GST to the Centre but received only 15 paise per rupee in return. He further alleged that the Centre was delaying environmental clearance for the Mahadayi project, gazette notification for land acquisition for Upper Krishna Project-3, and approvals for the Mekedatu project from the Central Water Commission and water management authorities.
Similarly, the Rs 5,300 crore announced for the Upper Bhadra project in 2023 had not been released, he said, adding that all these issues were brought to the PM’s notice on November 15, but no action had followed.
Guarantees: Significant share for N K’taka
Under the Gruha Lakshmi scheme, out of 1.24 crore beneficiaries, 58.92 lakh are from North Karnataka, the CM said, adding that of the Rs 52,400 crore spent statewide, Rs 24,631 crore has gone to the region.
Under the Gruha Jyoti, free electricity up to 200 units is being provided to 1.65 crore households, including 56.7 lakh households in North Karnataka, with Rs 6,038 crore spent in the region out of Rs 20,639 crore.
Under the Yuvanidhi scheme, 1.73 lakh unemployed youth in North Karnataka are receiving allowances out of 2.84 lakh beneficiaries, with Rs 456 crore of the Rs 750 crore spent going to the region.
Additionally, Rs 7,848 crore has been spent under Anna Bhagya and Rs 7,027 crore under the Shakti scheme in North Karnataka.
Expressing concern over income inequality, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah said that Karnataka’s average per capita income stands at Rs 3.39 lakh, the highest in the country, but 10 districts in North Karnataka have per capita incomes below Rs 2 lakh, with Kalaburagi at the bottom.
The Chief Minister attributed part of the disparity to low participation in dairying. While the Bengaluru Milk Union procures 17 lakh litres per day, milk unions in Kalaburagi, Yadgir, Bidar and Raichur together collect only 67,000 litres. Of the state’s daily milk procurement of 1 crore litres, only 10 lakh litres comes from North Karnataka, the CM informed. Promoting dairying could significantly improve rural incomes, he said, noting that the government provides an incentive of Rs 7 per litre, at a cost of Rs 5 crore per day.
Regional development boards
The CM said Rs 24,778 crore has been released to the Kalyana Karnataka Regional Development Board so far. Benefits under Article 371(J) have enabled over 51,606 students to access higher education through reservations in education and employment, he said.
He announced that the Govindrao Committee report, expected in January, would be implemented in full. Proposals to establish a Kittur Karnataka Development Board with an annual grant of Rs 5,000 crore would be examined after the report is submitted, he said.
Appealing for unity, Siddaramaiah urged the opposition to join an all-party delegation to the PM to seek pending funds and clearances for irrigation projects. The Opposition, however, created an uproar and staged a walkout.
TRANSLATED PROMISES INTO ACTION: SIDDU
Siddaramaiah said his government has translated promises into action to bridge the long-standing regional imbalance in North Karnataka, unveiling a series of completed and ongoing development initiatives for the region. Replying to a debate on North Karnataka development in the Council on Friday evening, he said that the bulk of announcements made during the last two Belagavi winter sessions had already been implemented. He said farm loans of 36,146 farmers in North Karnataka had been waived.
He also pointed to the establishment of a Centre for Excellence at the Water and Land Management Institute (WALMI), Dharwad, and the setting up of a cotton-based industries in Raichur. Emphasising the government’s focus on irrigation, the CM said his government was keen on taking an all-party delegation to the Centre to press for early clearances to major irrigation projects, particularly the Upper Krishna and Mahadayi project.
Both projects, he said, were crucial for the region’s water security and were pending approval from Centre, Siddaramaiah said sustained investment, timely implementation and collective political pressure were essential to ensure equitable growth and lasting development in North Karnataka.