3 months ago
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Several initiatives announced for the improvement of the Kalyana Karnataka portion successful the State Budget for 2026-27 are projected to beryllium implemented done the allocations of the Kalyana Karnataka Region Development Board (KKRDB), erstwhile again highlighting the increasing dependence connected the Board’s funds adjacent for projects that ordinarily autumn wrong the domain of regular sectoral spending.
Presenting the Budget successful the Legislative Assembly connected Friday (March 6, 2026), Chief Minister Siddaramaiah reiterated the government’s committedness to the improvement of the portion comprising Bidar, Kalaburagi, Yadgir, Raichur, Koppal, Ballari and Vijayanagara districts. The Budget proposes to instrumentality a ₹5,000-crore enactment program done the KKRDB during the year, with a absorption connected infrastructure, education, wellness and different societal sectors successful the region. Similar allocations person been made successful caller years arsenic portion of the government’s committedness to supply ₹5,000 crore annually for the improvement of Kalyana Karnataka.
While the Budget lists a bid of initiatives for the region, galore of them are to beryllium executed utilizing the Board’s grants alternatively than done caller allocations successful the regular departmental budgets. For instance, the authorities proposes to conception 1,668 anganwadi buildings successful the portion astatine an estimated outgo of ₹200 crore done KKRDB funds. Infrastructure improvement works successful 75 Government First Grade Colleges, 23 polytechnics and 5 engineering colleges successful the portion are besides projected done the Board’s allocations.
Similarly, caller residential first-grade colleges are projected to beryllium established astatine Nimbaraga successful Kalaburagi district, Kakkera successful Yadgir district, Ambamatha successful Raichur territory and Bevuru successful Koppal territory astatine a outgo of ₹18 crore utilizing KKRDB macro grants. A authorities first-grade assemblage astatine Maski successful Raichur territory is besides projected to beryllium acceptable up done the Board’s funds.
The Budget besides indicates that KKRDB yearly section program funds volition beryllium earmarked connected precedence to fortify the wellness assemblage successful Kalyana Karnataka, underscoring the continued reliance connected the Board’s allocations for sectoral interventions.
Article 371(J)
While the KKRDB was established nether Article 371(J) of the Constitution to code determination imbalance done targeted investments successful infrastructure and plus creation, the expanding signifier of routing regular departmental initiatives done the Board’s funds has drawn disapproval successful caller years.
However, the expanding dependence connected KKRDB funds for implementing sectoral schemes raises questions astir whether projects successful the portion are receiving capable enactment from the State’s mainstream budgetary allocations. In galore cases, the Board’s grants are utilized to concern projects that are different funded done regular departmental budgets successful different parts of the State.
A examination with projects announced successful different regions illustrates the contrast. For instance, determination centres of the Sri Jayadeva Institute of Cardiovascular Sciences and Research established successful Hubballi and Mysuru person received nonstop allocations whereas the Jayadeva installation successful Kalaburagi was constructed utilizing KKRDB funds.
Despite much than a decennary of law backing done Article 371(J) and important allocations done the KKRDB, the portion continues to lag down different parts of the State successful respective improvement indicators, including per-capita income and quality improvement parameters.
With the State reiterating its committedness to the portion done different ₹5,000-crore enactment plan, the cardinal question remains whether the peculiar improvement mechanics created nether Article 371(J) is being utilized chiefly to supplement improvement successful the portion oregon to substitute for regular sectoral spending.
