Belagavi (Karnataka), Dec 18 (PTI) The Karnataka Assembly on Thursday unanimously adopted eight resolutions urging the Union Government to address long-pending issues relating to regional imbalance, healthcare, irrigation, ethanol allocation, reservation policy and institutional concentration, with a strong focus on the development of Kalyana Karnataka and North Karnataka regions.
Moving the resolutions, Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister H K Patil said Kalyana Karnataka had remained severely backward for decades in education and healthcare, with health indicators far below both state and national averages.
Highlighting that Raichur ranked the lowest on the state income index among Kalyana Karnataka districts, he pressed for the immediate establishment of an AIIMS there.
"Raichur lies at the geographical heart of the seven Kalyana Karnataka districts and is also easily accessible to people from neighbouring border districts of Telangana," Patil said.
He added that an AIIMS would provide quality super-specialty healthcare and advanced medical education to more than one crore people in the backward region.
Chief Minister Siddaramaiah had written to and met the Prime Minister seeking approval.
In another resolution, the Assembly sought a Rs 5,000-crore annual Special Central Assistance for Kalyana Karnataka, matching the state's allocation to the Kalyana Karnataka Regional Development Board (KKRDB).
Citing the D M Nanjundappa Committee report, Patil said Ballari, Vijayanagar, Bidar, Koppal, Raichur, Kalaburagi and Yadgir districts recorded per capita incomes nearly 80 per cent lower than state capital Bengaluru.
"The social, educational and economic backwardness of Kalyana Karnataka is a national concern," the resolution stated.
It pointed out that its redressal was a shared responsibility of the state and the Union.
Drawing parallels with Maharashtra's Vidarbha region, members pointed out that despite Article 371(J), Kalyana Karnataka had not received any matching grant from the Centre over the past decade.
The House also flagged what it termed discriminatory ethanol allocation to Karnataka under the Ethanol Blended Petrol (EBP) programme.
Despite bumper sugarcane and maize yields in 2025-26 and a significant increase in ethanol production capacity, ethanol offtake allotted through oil marketing companies remained disproportionately low, Patil said.
"States with lower capacity are getting higher allocations," he claimed, warning that inadequate offtake had forced sugar mills and ethanol units to operate below capacity, delaying payments to farmers.
The resolution sought an immediate hike in Karnataka's ethanol quota, policy reforms and a detailed study to align allocations with actual capacity.
On the Mahadayi issue, the resolution asserted that the water dispute had been conclusively settled and the tribunal award notified.
While Karnataka had secured 3.90 TMC of water for the Kalasa-Banduri project, Patil said repeated deferments by the National Board for Wildlife persisted despite no stay or adverse order from the Supreme Court, the resolution said.
"Unwarranted delays are obstructing constitutionally protected projects and undermining the federal structure," the resolution said, urging the Centre to clear all pending approvals.
The House further resolved to seek inclusion of Karnataka's reservation laws in the Ninth Schedule of the Constitution, noting that the state's total reservation stood at 56 per cent and was facing multiple legal challenges. Inclusion, it said, was essential to safeguard the interests of Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and Other Backward Classes.
Calling the Krishna Upper Basin Project a 'lifeline' covering nearly 25 per cent of Karnataka's irrigated area, the House demanded that it be declared a National Project.
Despite investments of Rs 17,500 crore, irrigation potential remained underutilised, Patil said, adding that with disputes fully resolved there is no obstacle to national project status.
The House urged the Union Government to decentralise institutions from Bengaluru.
With 73 nationally important institutions concentrated in and around the capital, the resolution said Kalyana Karnataka and North Karnataka were being denied equitable growth.
The resolution sought the phased relocation of at least 25 per cent of these institutions to North Karnataka to promote balanced and inclusive development.
Opposition Leader R Ashoka said these resolutions were aimed at targeting and passing the blame on the Centre for the state government's failure.