Expressing concerns about the widespread migration from the impoverished Kalyana Karnataka region to megacities like Bengaluru, Hyderabad and Mumbai in search of livelihood options, Sharanabasappa Darshanapur, Minister for Small Scale Industries and Public Enterprises, said that his government was doing everything to check migration from the region by providing livelihood options in their neighborhoods.
“Migration is a serious problem in our region [Kalyana Karnataka]. People and their children go to bigger cities like Bengaluru and Hyderabad searching for work. The lives of migrant workers are miserable in megacities. We are seriously working to address this issue. Apart from providing work to local labourers under the MGNREGA [Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act], we are also exploring other ways to address the issue of migration. Encouragement to small-scale industries in the region might provide employment to the local labourers,” Mr. Darshanapur said.
He was speaking after inaugurating an outreach programme on financial awareness and emerging opportunities for Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) organised at Veerashaiva Kalyana Mantapa in Kalaburagi on Saturday. The Department of Industries and Commerce, District Administration, Small Industries Development Bank of India (SIDBI) and Karnataka Small Scale Industries Association (KASSIA) organised the event.
“Most of the big, corporate companies preferr to go to Bengaluru. But we want them to open their operations in backward regions like the Kalyana Karnataka. If big companies come to this region [Kalyana Karnataka], the region’s economic development would automatically be on track. I have discussed the issue with M.B. Patil, the Minister for Large & Medium Industries and Infrastructure Development, and requested him to offer some incentives so that big companies could come and start their operations in the region,” Mr. Darshanapur said.
Allamprabhu Patil, MLA for Kalaburagi South, detailed how the Congress government was striving to fight the backwardness of Kalyana Karnataka.
“Because of the relentless efforts of Congress veterans like Mallikarjun Kharge, Leader of the Opposition in the Rajya Sabha and the All India Congress Committee president and late N. Dharam Singh, former Chief Minister, Kalyana Karnataka got Special Status under Article 371(J) of the Constitution. The region is getting ₹5,000 crore special grants for its development,” he said.
Pointing to the hardships that budding entrepreneurs face, Mr. Patil appealed to Mr. Darshanapur to develop a comprehensive plan to facilitate the marking of the products produced by MSMEs in the region.
“I have a dream. I want to build an exclusive shopping complex for budding entrepreneurs, especially women entrepreneurs, to sell their products. With the support of Kalaburagi Municipal Corporation, Kalyana Karnataka Region Development Board (KKRDB) and the Department of Small Scale Industries, this dream could be realised,” Mr. Patil said appealing to Mr. Darshanapur for extending his support to the project.
