Kalaburagi (Karnataka), Sep 17 (IANS): The Karnataka government will launch a special two-year campaign to combat anaemia in the Kalyan Karnataka region, with a focus on screening, prevention and treatment, particularly among pregnant women, adolescents and lactating mothers, Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar announced at the Kalyan Karnataka Utsav held in Kalaburagi on Thursday.
The campaign is among a slew of new measures announced by Shivakumar during the Kalyan Karnataka Liberation Day celebrations in Kalaburagi, covering healthcare, industry, agriculture, infrastructure, technology, tourism and sports.
The government will undertake screening, prevention and treatment programmes over the next two years to reduce the prevalence of anaemia in the region. Special attention will be given to pregnant women, adolescents and lactating mothers.
As part of its plans to accelerate industrial growth and investment, the government will establish the Kalyan Karnataka Economy Mission (KKEM) as a Section 8 company. The mission will seek to attract large-scale investments and create new economic opportunities in the region.
A Bio Economy Mission will also be established to increase farmers’ incomes through processing and value addition of agricultural produce. The initiative will focus on major regional products, including tur dal, Kamalapur bananas, raisins and millets.
For Kalaburagi city, the government announced the construction of a flyover on the Sedam Road Ring Road to ease traffic movement. A new peripheral ring road is also being planned, with the Detailed Project Report (DPR) under preparation. A new lake and recreational park will be developed at a cost of Rs 30 crore as a major green and public leisure space for the city.
The government will develop 50,000 housing sites for site-less families in Kalaburagi district as part of its commitment to inclusive development.
Shivakumar also announced plans to develop an IT Park on 30 acres in Kalaburagi to expand the growth of the IT and innovation sectors beyond Bengaluru. Alongside this, KRIYA — Kalaburagi Research, Innovation and Youth Accelerator — will be established to promote innovation, start-ups and young entrepreneurs.
An AI-based CCTV network will be installed in Kalaburagi city and taluk headquarters to strengthen public safety, crime prevention and traffic management. The network will also be used to monitor civic services, including waste management.
The government will develop a pilgrimage and heritage circuit connecting Kalaburagi Fort, Sharanabasaveshwara Temple, Khwaja Bande Nawaz Dargah, Buddha Vihara, Malkhed, Sannati and Ganagapur. Heritage sites at Malkhed, Nagavi, Kalagi and Sannati are also being redeveloped through Kalyan Karnataka Regional Development Board funds.
Ganagapur will be developed in the first phase at a cost of Rs 50 crore. A Vachana Mantapa will also be established in Kalaburagi to take the teachings of Basavanna and the vachana tradition to the younger generation.
The chief minister said the Chandrashekhar Patil Stadium would be comprehensively redeveloped with modern sports infrastructure over the next two years. The government would also enter into an agreement with the Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA) to develop cricket facilities benefiting the entire Kalyan Karnataka region.
A “Sports City” will be established at Hadgil Haruti village in Kalaburagi taluk to promote sporting excellence, with international-standard indoor and outdoor facilities for various sports.
The government will also undertake the Koti Vruksha Abhiyan across Kalyan Karnataka over the next two years, with the objective of planting and nurturing one crore saplings to increase green cover and strengthen the region’s resilience to climate change.
Shivakumar said the government was committed to the overall development of Kalyan Karnataka and stressed that development should extend beyond infrastructure to improving the quality of life of the people.
“Kalyan Karnataka is our priority,” he said, adding that the region was the “Shakti Peetha” of Karnataka while Bengaluru was the crown of the state.
