29-07-2025
Govind Rao panel to assess development in Kalyana Karnataka region next month
The High Power Committee for Redressal of Regional Imbalance under the chairmanship of M. Govind Rao constituted by the State government for studying the implementation of the Dr. Nanjundappa Committee report will visit the Kalyana Karnataka region in the first week of August to understand the region's current status and recommend strategies for balanced and sustainable development.
Kalyana Karnataka Region Development Board (KKRDB) Chairman Ajay Singh addressing presspersons here on Tuesday said that the Govind Rao committee will visit the region on August 7 and 8 to ascertain the number of taluks that are still backward, more backward and most backward and also to examine various aspects of development, using a range of indicators to assess progress and identify areas needing improvement.
Reiterating that Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot has approved a ₹5,000-crore action plan for 2025-26 submitted by the KKRDB, Dr. Singh expressed happiness over the early approval for the action plan this year.
Earlier, the 2023-24 action plan was cleared in December 2023. Despite a delayed approval, the board has spent ₹2,009 crore in 2023-24. Similarly for 2024-25, the approval came in August and by the end of March 2025, the board has spent ₹3,158 crore, he said.
In total, the KKRDB has taken up development works worth ₹5,167 crore over the last two years, he added.
New programmes
Giving details about the various new programmes to be taken up by KKRDB during 2025-26, Dr. Singh said that an industry hub will be established to promote small-scale industries in Kalaburagi and Yadgir districts with an investment of ₹200 crore from the board and the Small-Scale Industries Department.
A sum of ₹100 crore will be allocated for increasing green cover under Aranya Avishkara programme in collaboration with the Forest Department.
Under Akshara Avishkara programme, 50 Karnataka Public Schools are being established by the board in the region, besides the 100 KPS schools being built by the State government in the seven districts of the region. The board will also allocate adequate funds for setting up dialysis centers in each district of the region, he said.
Replying to a query, Dr. Singh said that the KKRDB has reserved ₹1,500 crore under the Scheduled Castes Sub-Plan and Scheduled Tribes Sub-Plan (SCSP/ TSP).
The board will also introduce Jala Bhagya scheme in collaboration with the Minor Irrigation Department to help the farming community. Both the KKRDB and the Minor Irrigation Department will spend ₹100 crore each this year. A sum of ₹400 crore will be spent in 40 taluks of the seven districts in the next two years, Dr. Singh said and added that the board will construct warehouses in all the 40 constituencies of the region at a cost of ₹1.5 crore each.
