The State government would take suitable action in the interest of the State and Belagavi district, Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai said on Friday responding to the demand for division of Belagavi district.
Speaking to media persons in Belagavi Bommai said, there is a long time demand for division of Belagavi district .Suggestions in this regard were received when many other districts were bifurcated.
A debate was on in this regard during the JH Patel regime too. It was decided not to affect the division at that time considering the sensitive fact that it is a border district.
“Belagavi is a big district. It needs large representation. All such factors will be considered during the next expansion,” he said in reply to a query.
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“Now people are again pressing for it. Keeping all the aspects in mind a suitable decision would be taken in the interest of the State and Belagavi district”, Bommai said.
Belagavi district is difficult to divide ?
There are many who feel Belagavi is a case fit for division, given the vastness of the district. It has 506 gram panchayats, the most in Karnataka. The 55 lakh people of the district reside in 18 Assembly segments in 14 taluks. People from some villages in Chikkodi have to travel 200 km to reach the district headquarters. Other big towns such as Chikkodi, Gokak, Bailhongal, Hukkeri, Athani, and Khanapur are deprived of agencies or facilities such as the district central cooperative bank, KMF dairies, consumer dispute reddressal forums, zilla panchayats, NABARD offices, and HESCOM distribution centres. They also have fewer higher educational institutions.
However, for linguistic reasons, Kannada organisations have strongly opposed the plan to divide Belagavi district since 1997. The then Chief Minister J.H. Patel’s announcement on the formation of Chikkodi district by dividing Belagavi had sparked off angry protests in Belagavi and surrounding towns. Kannada leaders were apprehensive that Kannada speakers would be reduced to a minority in the district if it were to be divided. Activists protested for 29 days before the State government relented. Patel issued orders withholding the division and said Belagavi would remain undivided till the border dispute with Maharashtra was settled.
