BELGAUM: Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy on Thursday announced that the Government would hold a session of the legislature in Belgaum every year and a building on the lines of the Vidhana Soudha in Bangalore would be constructed here.

In his address to legislators, prior to the address by Governor T.N. Chaturvedi, Mr. Kumaraswamy said regular legislature sessions in Belgaum would help eliminate regional imbalances and cement ties between Kannadigas and Marathi-speaking people.

Stating that the Government was committed to implementing the recommendations of the D.M. Nanjundappa Committee on regional imbalances, he said the pace of execution of development projects in north Karnataka would gain momentum henceforth. "Belgaum is an integral part of the State, and all efforts will be made to develop the district," he said.

A plan had been chalked out to set up industries and promote tourism in Belgaum. The Government had begun work on a Kannada Bhavan to mark the World Kannada Conference to be held in Belgaum later this year.

A cricket stadium, a railway overpass, a museum, and other projects had been sanctioned for the district, Mr. Kumaraswamy said.

The Government was committed to completing all pending irrigation projects in North Karnataka. "Keeping Belgaum as the centre of development, the other districts of North Karnataka will be developed," he said.

While Dharwad and Hubli had become a destination for information technology units, plans were afoot to set up cold storage units in Haveri. Priority would be given to promoting eco-tourism in Karwar, horticulture in Bagalkot and Bijapur districts and food parks in Gulbarga and Raichur districts, he said.

Leader of the Opposition in the Assembly N. Dharam Singh stressed the need for time-bound execution of projects in North Karnataka for elimination of backwardness.

Minister for Higher Education D.H. Shankaramurthy said North Karnataka had remained backward for historical reasons, and now the time had come to focus on development works in the region.

Leader of the Opposition in the Council H.K Patil spoke about the damage caused by the recent floods in several districts of North Karnataka.

Deputy Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa proposed a vote of thanks.

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