Legislators from five districts of the Hyderabad-Karnataka region, perhaps for the first time, have made an effort to mount pressure on the government to change the present funding pattern for addressing regional imbalance. They want government to adhere to the formula suggested by D M Nanjundappa Committee.
Legislators from from five districts - Gulbarga, Bidar, Raichur, Koppal and Bellary - met in Bangalore on July 11 and discussed the “injustice” being meted to the region.
In all, 20 legislators, including Home Minister M P Prakash, leader of Opposition in the Assembly Dharam Singh and KPCC President Mallikarjun Kharge, attended the meeting. It was convened by Aland MLAB R Patil, Chincholi MLA Vaijanath Patil and CPM leader Maruti Manpade.
Speaking to media persons here on Sunday, Mr B R Patil said it was perhaps for the first time a non-political meeting was attended by legislators from all parties to discuss a common cause.
He said Mr Prakash made a submission to the meeting that the amount Rs 1,571 crore earmarked in the current year’s budget was part of plan outlay and not over and above it, or exclusive provision to tackle backwardness of the State.
Mr Singh and Mr Kharge have been asked to take necessary steps for debating the issue on the floors of the Legislature in the ongoing monsoon session.
Patil contended the 50:30:20 ratio pattern for release of funds for the most backward, more backward and backward regions, was neither scientific nor equatibale. Instead, funds should be spent as per the formula suggested by Nanjundappa Committee.
Mr Abdul Aziz, a member of Nanjundappa Committee and T R Chandrashekhar of Kannada University, Hampi, said the present funding pattern has done injustice to the most backward Gulbarga region.
Legal sanctity
Mr B R Patil demanded legal sanctity for the implementation of the Nanjundappa Committee report by enacting a legislation so that Rs 16,000 crore can be spent over eight years to overcome regional imbalance.