A three-day World Kannada Conference will be organised in June 2017, said Kannada and Culture Minister Umashree on Thursday. The conference will mark the 60th anniversary of the state’s formation.
Speaking to reporters after a preliminary meeting with Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on the preparations for the conference, which is referred to by the government as the Vishwa Kannada Sammelana, Umashree said the venue to host the event is yet to be finalised.
She said Rs 30 crore had been announced in the budget for the event. However, the costs might escalate, given the fact that the government had spent Rs 35 crore to host the same event in Belagavi in 2011, she added.
Also, as the Sammelana has already been hosted in Mysuru and Belagavi on previous occasions, the department has proposed that it should be organised in either the Bengaluru or Kalaburagi revenue divisions.
Districts including Bidar, Kalaburagi, Ballari, Davangere and Bengaluru came up for discussion as possible venues. Sources said that Bengaluru was also ruled out, with Siddaramaiah suggesting that Hyderabad-Karnataka districts be explored.