Kalaburagi, Sep 17 (IANS): The Karnataka Cabinet held in Kalaburagi on Tuesday decided to request the Union government for a Rs 5,000 annual grant for the development of the Kalyan Karnataka region.

Speaking at a press conference after the Cabinet meeting, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah stated that the state government has been releasing Rs 5,000 crore annually for the development of the Kalyana Karnataka region. However, the Union government has not provided any financial support since the implementation of Article 371(J) through a constitutional amendment.

“The cabinet has decided to request the Union government to release Rs 5,000 crore for the region's development,” he stated.

In a state cabinet meeting held in Kalaburagi, Rs 11,770 crore has been approved for 46 projects related to the Kalyana Karnataka region.

Siddaramaiah announced that the cabinet also approved a Rs 7,200 crore drinking water project for the villages of Bidar and Kalaburagi, and the proposal to upgrade Bidar and Raichur towns into Municipal Corporations.

He mentioned that 56 issues were discussed in today's meeting, of which 46 pertained to the Kalyana Karnataka region. A total of Rs 12,692 crore worth of projects were proposed in the meeting. He also mentioned that the project to bring water from Narayanpur Dam would be implemented under a partnership with the central government, with half of the Rs 7,200 crore cost to be borne by the central government.

The Chief Minister also announced that the government has decided to fill 17,439 vacant positions in the Kalyana Karnataka region in a phased manner.

On the occasion of Kalyana Karnataka Liberation Day, the Kalyana Karnataka Utsav was celebrated. The Chief Minister recalled that during the Congress government from 2013 to 2018, a Cabinet meeting was held in Kalaburagi in 2014 to address the pressing issues of the region.

He highlighted that the constitutional amendment for Article 371(J) was passed in 2012 during the tenure of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, thanks to the efforts of leaders like AICC President Mallikarjun Kharge and former Chief Minister late Dharam Singh. The law was implemented during the Congress government's tenure in 2013 to grant special privileges to the Kalyana Karnataka region.

In 2002, a committee was formed as per the Nanjundappa Commission report to address regional imbalances. Currently, a new committee led by Govinda Rao has been established to review the status of taluks in this region. After the committee submits its report, steps will be taken for the development of backward taluks, he stated.

The Cabinet has approved the construction of 45 Primary Health Centers, 31 Community Health Centers, and the upgrading of 9 taluk hospitals in the Kalyana Karnataka region. Additionally, two taluk hospitals will be upgraded to district hospitals, with an estimated cost of Rs 890 crore for these projects, he stated.