CH NEWS, KALABURAGI
More than a decade after the State government created Shahabad, Kalagi, Yadrami and Kamalapur as separate taluks with the objective of ensuring easier and more accessible administration, several key government offices continue to function from the old taluk headquarters.
As a result, residents, farmers and women from the newly created taluks are still being forced to travel to the erstwhile taluk centres for routine official work. The move to establish Praja Soudhas in the new taluks was aimed at bringing government services closer to the people. During Chief Minister Siddaramaiah’s tenure, then Revenue Minister Krishna Byre Gowda had directed district administrations to identify land for construction of Praja Soudhas in the newly created taluks. Following this, construction of Praja Soudhas was taken up in district with financial assistance from the Kalyana Karnataka Region Development Board (KKRDB). However, many of the departments expected to operate from these complexes are yet to shift from the old taluk headquarters.
The Sub-Registrar’s Office, Block Education Officer’s office, Social Welfare Department, Backward Classes and Minorities departments and the Child Development Project Officer office are among those yet to be fully shifted.
Similarly, the offices of the Agriculture and Horticulture departments, Taluk Health Officer, Labour Department, Fire and Emergency Services, Forest Department, Rural Drinking Water and Sanitation wing under RDPR, APMC and Veterinary Department are yet to be made available at the new headquarters. These departments provide essential services ranging from crop insurance, healthcare programmes, vaccination, labour-related services, forest management and veterinary care. Residents say they continue to spend considerable time and money travelling to the old taluk centres for even routine work.
