Transform Kalyana Karnataka region like Bengaluru and Mysuru: Kharge

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on Saturday urged Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and his deputy D K Shivakumar to transform the Kalyana Karnataka region — which is considered backward in terms of development — like Mysuru and Bengaluru.

Asserting that more funds have to be allocated for the development of the region, from which he too hails, the Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha, expressed confidence that Siddaramaiah will cooperate in this regard.

“During S M Krishna’s tenure (as CM) he used to speak about transforming Bengaluru into a Singapore like city, you may do it. It will be enough for us if the Kalyana Karnataka region is transformed like Mysuru and Bengaluru. Like Siddaramaiah’s Mysuru and D K Shivakumar’s Bengaluru. This is enough for us, let’s see Singapore later,” Kharge said.

Addressing a large gathering here, he said, “I request you (government) to focus on this. Ensure job vacancies or backlogs, especially of teachers in the region are filled. Also allocate necessary funds.”

Kharge was speaking at an event to lay the foundation stone for various development projects under the Arogya Avishkara scheme aimed at enhancing health infrastructure in the Kalyana Karnataka region, worth Rs 440 crore.

The AICC chief asked the public representatives and officials of the region to utilise the funds allocated for the development work at the earliest, and on the basis of that, seek more funds required.

“Despite getting funds, if we don’t utilise it, no developmental work will happen. Utilise the funds. This year Rs 5,000 crore has been allocated for the Kalyana Karnataka region. It should be spent. Siddaramaiah and other ministers have complained that the funds provided are not spent properly on time. This should not happen and the local legislators, ministers and officials should ensure it and see to it that development reaches the people,” he said.

Pointing out that the Kalyana Karnataka region lags behind in education and has a shortage of teachers, Kharge said the seven districts in the region are always ranked at last in terms of performance in education.

Also, filling up of job vacancies in the region is essential, he said. Law says that there are no financial impediments for filling up job vacancies in the Kalyana Karnataka region, especially teachers, he added.

Article 371J of the Indian Constitution grants special status to the Kalyana Karnataka region aimed at addressing the socio-economic and developmental backwardness there.