Bengaluru, May 22 (NationPress) The Karnataka government has officially changed the name of Ramanagara district to Bengaluru South on Thursday, facing opposition from Union Minister H. D. Kumaraswamy and the local BJP party.

Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar announced the Cabinet's decision to rename Ramanagara district as Bengaluru South. He clarified that the district headquarters will remain in Ramanagara, but the name change to Bengaluru South is now official.

Shivakumar emphasized that this region was historically part of Bengaluru district and noted that the name change is a move to restore its administrative identity. “A formal notification will be issued shortly. There are no financial obstacles to this change,” he stated, recalling his past experience as President of the Bengaluru Rural Zilla Panchayat.

He mentioned that areas such as Hoskote, Devanahalli, Doddaballapur, Ramanagara, Kanakapura, and Magadi were originally part of Bengaluru. “The cabinet has legally decided to rename the district Bengaluru South,” he added.

When questioned about opposition from the Union government, Shivakumar asserted that the central authority has no jurisdiction over this issue. “We only informed them about our proposal. There are attempts to politicize this matter. This is a matter of state governance. We have established districts like Gadag and Chamarajanagar without needing permission from the Centre. Similarly, Ramanagara was created independently,” he explained. “From now on, all records will indicate Bengaluru South district. Please refer to me as a resident of Bengaluru South district,” he concluded.

Shivakumar also discussed the one-time interest waiver benefit for owners of plots acquired under the Bengaluru Development Authority (BDA) limits if they pay their outstanding taxes within 125 days. He mentioned ongoing discussions regarding the tendering process for tunnel construction, with a decision on a hybrid model pending consultation with the Chief Minister.

He noted that a global tender has been approved for Phase 3 of the Metro project, estimated at ₹40,424 crore. He criticized the previous BJP regime for their handling of waste management, stating that the court has dismissed petitions against the state, allowing for a final decision within four months. The plan is to implement one waste management package per constituency, totaling 33 packages, over a seven-year period at an estimated cost of ₹4,790 crore.

Shivakumar emphasized that the new system will differ significantly from the previous one, with clear responsibilities for waste segregation, vehicle management, and construction debris separation.