Activists seek urban employment guarantee scheme using KKRDB funds

Activists from the Kalyana Karnataka Region Development Struggle Committee have urged the State government to establish an urban employment guarantee scheme for the Kalyana Karnataka region, utilizing funds from the Kalyana Karnataka Region Development Board (KKRDB). At a press conference in Kalaburagi, activists K. Neela, Meenakshi Bali, Arjun Bhadre, Sudham Dhanni, S.B.

Mahesh, and others expressed concern over the migration of poor individuals from the region's urban areas to cities like Bengaluru, Mumbai, Pune, Hyderabad, and beyond in search of work. They argued that while physical infrastructure development is important, it alone cannot alleviate poverty, unemployment, and improve human development indicators.

Neela specifically called for the allocation of funds towards poverty alleviation, education, healthcare, and other human development aspects. Addressing the long-term challenges faced by Kalyana Karnataka migrants, Neela requested the State government to provide affordable rail transport options, such as additional unreserved coaches on trains, to ease the journey for both workers and their families.

Balancing the allocation of funds, Bali criticized the practice of using KKRDB resources for local budgetary projects, suggesting that such funds should come from the State's regular budget, as is the case for other parts of Karnataka. The activists expressed support for the reconstitution of the Cabinet Sub-Committee on Article 371(J) of the Constitution, with the hope that the committee would actively work on implementing the special provisions for the Kalyana Karnataka region effectively.

Neela encouraged the committee to hold meetings with regional organizations and activists to address longstanding regional imbalances, and the committee announced a November awareness campaign on Article 371(J) and KKRDB resource utilization.