President Pranab Mukherjee, late on Wednesday
evening, issued an order allowing Karnataka Governor to set up a separate
Development Board for Hyderabad-Karnataka region, consisting of six districts,
under the recently introduced Article 371J of the Constitution.
The districts to be benefited are: Gulbarga,
Bidar, Raichur, Koppal, Yadgir and Bellary.
The Board has come into force with immediate
effect. It will ensure equitable allocation of funds to meet the development
needs of the region from the State Budget. It will promote employment from the
region by providing for local cadres in service; and provide reservation in
educational and vocational training institutions to the locals.
The Presidential Order has been issued under the
“State of Karnataka (Special Responsibility of Governor for Karnataka-Hyderabad
Region) Order, 2013” under Article 371J of the Constitution.
Union Railway Minister and Lok Sabha member from
Gulbarga Mallikarjun Kharge told The Hindu that the
dream of the people in the six backward districts for the last 12 years had come
true now with the establishment of the Board for their development. The
districts would get special financial packages from various central ministries
meant for development of backward areas and this could not be considered
discriminatory.
As there was a constitutional protection – under
Article 371J – the decision for providing reservation in jobs or educational
institutions or other privileges could not be questioned before the court of
law, Mr. Kharge said.
Informed sources said 21 out of 39 taluks in the
six districts were “most backward”. The report on the human development index of
regions also confirmed the same.
source- www.hindu.com
