Karnataka government is considering a proposal to create Gokak and Chikkodi districts by carving up Belagavi district, Satish Jarkiholi, PWD Minister who is in charge of the district, said in Belagavi on August 15.
“This issue was raised during Chief Minister Siddaramaiah’s recent meeting with MLAs from northern Karnataka. The demand for carving up Belagavi district was put forth by several legislators. The government is seriously considering this suggestion,’‘ he said.
The demand was first raised in 1997 when some new districts were created. “The J.H. Patel government announced the division (of Belagavi district), but did not implement it owing to opposition by local Kannada groups. But this time, we are likely to go ahead as all their concerns have been addressed,’‘ Satish Jarkiholi told journalists after the independence day celebrations.
Belagavi taluk, which has three Assembly seats and a population of around 12 lakh, may also be divided, but Satish Jarkiholi said, “No decision has been taken yet on when it will happen, or on the exact process of division.”
Sheer size of Belagavi district puts administration out of reach of residents
Officials say dividing the district would lead to ease of administration.
With an area of 13,500 square kilometres, Belagavi is the biggest district in Karnataka in terms of size. In terms of population, Belagavi is the second biggest in Karnataka after Bengaluru Urban district.
As per the 2011 census, Belagavi district had a population of 47.8 lakh. Its estimated population in 2023 is 54.2 lakh.
The district stretches from the Western Ghats on the west to the dry, north-interior plains on the east. It has three agro climatic zones.
The district has 18 Assembly constituencies, 14 taluks, and 506 gram panchayats covering 1,380 villages.
Residents of Belagavi district are electors in three Lok Sabha seats — Belagavi, Chikkodi and Canara. The widespread area of the district makes administration tough and makes access to officials difficult for residents of far-flung areas. Residents of some villages, like Kattalagi in Athani taluk, or Udachamma Nagar in Ramdurg taluk, have to travel 120 kilometres to reach the district headquarters (Belagavi).
“If the Belagavi zilla panchayat CEO decides to visit one gram panchayat every day, he will need to travel continuously for one-and-a-half years to cover every panchayat. Therefore, it would be convenient for officials and the people if the district is divided,’‘ said an officer of the Panchayat Raj Department.
