A round table meeting was organised by the Communist Party of India (Marxist) State committee to urge the State government to discuss and address the issues of North Karnataka during the winter session in Belagavi.
The conference was attended by K. Neela, CPI(M) State Executive Committee member and Kalaburagi District Secretary, Chennappa Anegundi, Yadgir district secretary, Ambu Bai Maalge, Bidar district secretary, K.G. Veeresh, Raichur District secretary, and activists M.B. Sajjan, Meenakshi Bali, and Sharanabasappa Mamshetty.
Ms. Neela demanded that the State government abrogate the Karnataka Land Reforms Act which was passed to ease the restriction on purchase of agricultural land by non-agriculturists and conversion of agricultural land for non-agricultural purposes.
Rather than discussing the issues of the Kalyana Karnataka and Kittur Karnataka regions, the government should take measures to ensure overall development in health, agriculture, education and industry sectors, Ms. Neela said that the government should plug the loopholes and prevent improper utilisation of funds allocated for taking up developmental works in this region.
Mr. Veeresh urged the State government to discuss bringing All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) to Raichur district. He alleged that the government has not sanctioned any funds for the newly-established Raichur University.
Meenakshi Bali urged the State government to take strict measures to prevent child marriages in this region. Kalaburagi district ranks second in child marriages in the State. It is due to poverty and illiteracy, and this has led to an increase in the dropout rate of girls from schools in the Kalyana Karnataka region.
The State government should also introduce supplementary nutrition programmes and allocate funds for dietary supplementation at anganwadi centres, schools, and residential hostels to reduce anemia and the malnutrition among students.
The activists also urged the State government to discuss introducing Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) scheme to urban areas and extend the working days under the scheme to 200 days. The government should also revise the wages of MGNREGA to ₹700 per day.
