Kalaburagi, Jan 12 (NationPress) Karnataka's Chief Minister Siddaramaiah voiced his optimism on Monday that the regional disparity in Kalyana Karnataka would be rectified, aiming for equity within the next decade.

During the inauguration of the “Prajasoudha”, along with Karnataka Public School (KPS) buildings and various developmental projects, he distributed benefits to recipients at a program held at the KPS School grounds in Yadrami, organized by the district administration, Zilla Panchayat, and the Kalyana Karnataka Development Board in Kalaburagi.

To tackle regional disparities, Siddaramaiah mentioned that recommendations from the Nanjundappa Committee's report had been put into action. A committee led by Govind Rao has been established to assess the impact, with its recommendations to be realized shortly, he noted.

The Chief Minister highlighted that in the freshly designated Yadrami taluk under the Jevargi Assembly constituency, the foundation stones were laid and projects worth Rs 906 crore were inaugurated, including initiatives costing Rs 38.29 crore and new projects valued at Rs 867.49 crore.

Siddaramaiah criticized opposition parties for disseminating false information for political advantage, asserting that they were conducting misinformation campaigns alleging that the government lacked funds for infrastructure due to guarantee schemes.

“If the government were bankrupt, it wouldn’t have allocated Rs 906 crore in the Jevargi constituency alone,” he stated.

The Chief Minister emphasized that over Rs 1.12 lakh crore had been spent, fulfilling all election promises within a year of assuming power.

He mentioned that out of 592 promises made in the previous election, 243 have already been met, with the remaining commitments to be addressed throughout their term.

Reflecting on the prior Congress administration, Siddaramaiah noted that 158 out of 165 promises had been fulfilled, alongside an additional 30 schemes not included in their manifesto. He criticized the BJP, asserting they failed to meet even 10 percent of the 600 promises made during their tenure from 2018.

While 63 new taluks were declared previously, Siddaramaiah pointed out that between 2018 and 2023, the BJP only provided facilities in 14 taluks. Since coming to power in 2023, the Congress government has sanctioned Prajasoudha buildings in 49 taluks, which are currently under construction.

He added that while the BJP sanctioned 19 taluks in Kalyana Karnataka, merely two buildings were constructed. In contrast, the current government has approved 17 taluks and sanctioned 97 Nada Kacheri offices, with 39 offices approved in the first phase and 53 in the second phase across 25 taluks in the region.

Siddaramaiah accused the BJP of engaging in communal politics, misleading the populace under the guise of communalism and Hindutva.

He also mentioned that due to excessive rainfall and subsequent crop losses, aerial surveys were conducted, leading to recovery decisions. Rs 1,218 crore was released from the SDRF, with an additional Rs 1,031 crore made available by the state government.

“Across the state, 14.21 lakh farmers faced crop losses, with 7,21,786 from Kalyana Karnataka. Compensation totaling Rs 1,072 crore was allocated for crop damage in the region. In Kalaburagi district alone, 3,23,318 farmers experienced losses, receiving Rs 498 crore in compensation,” he stated.

He affirmed that funds had been directly transferred to farmers’ bank accounts. Additionally, Rs 233 crore was allocated for tur crops impacted by sterility disease. In response to sugarcane farmers protesting over low prices, the government intervened, providing Rs 50 per quintal from the state and Rs 50 from sugar factories, totaling Rs 300 crore for cane growers.

Siddaramaiah remarked that BJP leaders, including former Home Minister and Deputy Prime Minister L.K. Advani, had claimed that Article 371J couldn't be enforced. However, it was enacted during former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's tenure, thanks to the initiatives of Mallikarjun Kharge and Dharam Singh, resulting in the establishment of the Kalyana Karnataka Development Board.

He concluded by disclosing that Rs 13,000 crore had been allocated over three years for the region, including Rs 3,000 crore in the current year.