Karnataka - Gulbarga   

Need for amendment to Article 371 comes into focus once again

T.V. Sivanandan

Move is necessary to take steps to remove regional imbalances

GULBARGA: The State's demand for an amendment to include Karnataka in Article 371 of the Constitution to help redress regional imbalances has taken centre stage once again with the Government thinking of abolishing area development boards. Subsequently it wants to set up a separate fund under the direct control of the Governor of the State for the development of backward regions such as Hyderabad Karnataka.

Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy, during the recent legislature session in Belgaum, declared that the Government would enact legislation to implement the recommendations of the High Power Committee for the Redressal of Regional Imbalances, which was headed by the late D.M. Nanjundappa. Deputy Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa recently made known the intention of the Government to abolish the area development boards and provide funds under the direct supervision of the Governor to take up developmental activities in the areas coming under the Hyderabad Karnataka Development Board, the Malnad Area Development Board and the Maidan Area Development Board.

No powers

Without amending the Constitution to bring Karnataka under Article 371, the State Government cannot provide statutory powers to the area development boards or earmark funds for development under the control of the Governor.

The Centre had expressed willingness to amend the Article to provide statutory backing to the area development boards for undertaking development works under the supervision of the Governor. But the State Government rejected this proposal and wanted an enabling provision under Article 371 to provide special reservation in employment and educational opportunities in the backward regions of the State.

Maharashtra and Gujarat, which have been included under Article 371, have been empowered to constitute development boards for Vidarbha, Marathwada, Saurashtra and Kutch and provide special allocations for developmental projects under the control of the Governors of the two States.

One of the major demands of the Karnataka was to amend the Article 371 to provide reservation in the education and employment opportunities and also to provide statutory status to the area development boards.

Hope for regions

Mr. Kumaraswamy's statement on bringing in legislation to implement the recommendations of the Nanjundappa committee holds out hope for the backward regions in North Karnataka, considering it was the first positive response on the recommendations of the committee, which have been pending with the Government for four years.

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