Despite the various initiatives and several efforts to redress regional imbalance, North Karnataka continues to lag behind in development because of various reasons, including step-motherly treatment meted out to the region, thinkers and experts have observed.

Participating in deliberations organised as part of a one-day Conclave on Prof. M. Govinda Rao Committee Report on Regional Imbalance in Karnataka organised by Karnatak Vidyavardhakh Sangha in Dharwad on Saturday, the experts elaborated on the reasons for it, highlighting instances of discrimination faced by North Karnataka and also presented data to substantiate their view point.

Delivering the keynote address, senior counsel Lohit Naikar blamed local political leaders for the backwardness of North Karnataka.

He said that the mindset of the people from the region is also responsible for the slow development of the region as they lack the courage to question authorities and demand their rightful share of development.

He said that there is disparity in the allocations made to South and North Karnataka.

Inaugurating the conclave, MLC Hemalatha Nayak observed that the region lags behind in poverty reduction, literacy, healthcare, industrial development, irrigation and agriculture, while Koppal, Ballari, Vijayanagara and Yadgir districts are among the most deprived.

She promised that the issues raised during the conclave will be discussed in the legislature session.

Working president of Vidyavardhak Sangha and senior counsel Basavaprabhu Hosakeri compared the availability of water in the Cauvery and the Krishna basins.

He said that while 218 tmcft of water is available in the Cauvery basin, it is 760 tmcft in Krishna basin which is more than three times the former.

“Such being the case, the Upper Krishna Project, the foundation stone for which was laid by the former Prime Minister late Lal Bahadur Shastri in 1964, remains incomplete. This is another example of discrimination,” he said.

Mr. Hosakeri pointed out that while Kempegowda, who built Bengaluru was widely celebrated, leaders such as Alur Venkatrao, Siddappa Kambli and several other freedom fighters and those who actively contributed to the unification of Karnataka remain unknown for many.

In the last five or six decades, North Karnataka has lost out on employment opportunities, educational institutions, irrigation projects, industries and also other basic infrastructure, he said.

President of the sangha and former MLA Chandrakanth Bellad, office-bearers Sanjeev Kulkarni, Shankar Halgatthi and others participated in the conclave.