Creation of Vijayanagara district aimed at development: Sriramulu
Karnataka Health Minister BSriramulu on Thursday said the governments decision to createVijayanagara as the states 31st district, carving it out fromthe mine-rich Ballari, was administrative in nature aimed atdevelopment, as he appealed for withdrawing protests againstit.
The Minister, who is a native of Ballari, had earlieropposed the plan for creating the new district.
“Ballari is a big district….there have been voices infavour and against (bifurcation). After our government came topower, we left it to the discretion of the Chief Minister.TheCM and the cabinet recently gave in principle approval to it,when it again comes before the cabinet we will discuss indetail,” Sriramulu said.
Speaking to reporters in Mysuru, he said, the ChiefMinister has tried to convince BJPs Ballari City MLA GSomashekar Reddy and other legislators who have been opposingthe decision and that he will also talk to them on the matter.
“We will abide by the Chief Ministers decision…. thedecision is administrative not political, the Chief Ministerand the governments decision is right. I appeal to thoseprotesting to withdraw and lets all work together for thesake of development,” he added.
Meanwhile, Ballari bandh called by a few localorganisations on Thursday opposing the bifurcation of thedistrict failed to evoke much response as normal life remainedunaffected, official sources said.
Movement of public and private transport remained normal.
Also shops and establishments remained open, they said.
The Karnataka cabinet on November 18 had given inprinciple approval for the creation of Vijayanagara district,carving it out from Ballari.
Ballari, which is also politically significant, comprisesnine assembly segments of which the Congress had won five andthe BJP four in the 2018 polls.
The cabinet in its next meeting is likely to discuss indetail and decide about the formation of the new district.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by The Federal staff and is auto-published from a syndicated feed.)