Most Karnataka ministers made in-charge of home districts

Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Friday allocated district-wise responsibilities to his Cabinet colleagues.

Most ministers have been assigned districts from where they are elected. Two ministers - Krishna Byre Gowda and Rahim Khan - have not been given any district.

Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar, who already holds the Bengaluru City Development portfolio, will manage the Bengaluru Urban district.

In several cases, Siddaramaiah had to choose between two ministers representing the same district. For example, in Tumakuru, Home Minister G Parameshwara was picked over Cooperation Minister K N Rajanna, who will handle Hassan.

Similarly, in Vijayapura, Industries Minister M B Patil was picked over Textiles Minister Shivanand Patil, who was sent to Haveri.

Public Works Minister Satish Jarkiholi will oversee Belagavi affairs whereas Women and Child Development Minister Laxmi Hebbalkar will be in charge of Udupi, a new territory for the Belgaum Rural MLA.

Revenue Minister Krishna Byre Gowda said he opted out of district responsibility. "I requested for an exemption because there's a lot of work to be done in the revenue department," Gowda told DH.

It is said that Gowda initially preferred his native Kolar district, which was given to Urban Development Minister B S Suresha.

District ministers have to chair departmental review meetings. Implementing and overseeing the progress of various government schemes are also the district ministers' tasks.

Protests

There were protests in Raichur where Medical Education Minister Dr Sharanaprakash Patil, the Sedam MLA, was appointed as the district in-charge. There were demands that Minor Irrigation Minister NS Boseraju should be given Raichur. However, Boseraju was given Kodagu.