Ballari: The Karnataka government’s priority is the all-round development of Kalyana Karnataka, social justice and improving the quality of life of people in the region, said Tribal Welfare Minister T. Raghumurthy.

Speaking after hoisting the national flag at the 79th Kalyana Karnataka Utsav organised by the district administration at the Government Pre-University College grounds here on Thursday, Raghumurthy recalled the region’s liberation from the rule of the Hyderabad Nizam and paid tribute to those who sacrificed their lives during the freedom struggle.

Special status under Article 371(J)

Raghumurthy said the constitutional amendment introducing Article 371(J) had accorded special status to Kalyana Karnataka, enabling additional funding and provisions for education, employment and infrastructure development in the region.

He said around Rs 18,000 crore had so far been spent through the Kalyana Karnataka Region Development Board (KKRDB). This included Rs 2,202 crore for education, Rs 2,071 crore for healthcare, Rs 974 crore for employment opportunities, Rs 498 crore for backward-class development, Rs 638 crore for the welfare of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes and Rs 313 crore for minority development.

The government had also spent Rs 425 crore on groundwater development, Rs 1,000 crore on Kalyana Path and Rs 166 crore on construction of Praja Soudhas, he said.

101 taluks declared drought-hit

Raghumurthy said 101 taluks in the state had been declared drought-affected and measures were being taken to address drinking water and fodder requirements and provide employment to rural communities.

He said steps were also being taken under the VB-G RAM G scheme to prevent distress migration by providing rural families a statutory guarantee of 125 days of wage employment.

Focus on youth

The minister said the government was working towards social equality and had allocated Rs 1,41,210 crore for its five guarantee schemes, benefiting 2.70 crore families, according to government figures.

He highlighted initiatives including the proposed establishment of 10,000 ‘Bharat Jodo Yuva Sanghas’, free bus facilities for students, setting up 1,000 Karnataka Public Schools and establishing an AI university in Bengaluru as measures aimed at supporting young people.

Raghumurthy urged elected representatives to move beyond criticism and allegations and work together on development initiatives in line with public expectations.

MP E. Tukaram, Sandur MLA E. Annapurna, Kalyana Karnataka Region Development Struggle Committee honorary president Sirigere Pannaraj, Dr Babu Jagjivan Ram Leather Industries Development Corporation chairman Mundargi Nagaraj, Ballari city mayor P. Gadappa, deputy commissioner Nagendra Prasad K., Ballari range IGP Dr P.S. Harsha, superintendent of police Dr Suman D.P. and Zilla Panchayat CEO Mohammed Haris Sumeer were among those present.