Paltry allocation to Kalaburagi railway division outrages citizens

Kalaburagi: The allocation of a meagre Rs 1,000 by the Union government for the augmenting of administrative infrastructure of the Kalaburagi division of South Western Railway (SWR) has provoked sharp reactions from the people of Kalyana Karnataka, who took to social media sites to give vent to their fury. Among those upset with the allocation to the division are BJP workers in the region. Various organisations in Kalyana Karnataka are now planning on launching a stir demanding the allocation of more funds.
The allocation to the division became public knowledge after the Kalyana Karnataka Railway Development’s official Twitter handle @rlyhydka shared the copy of the ‘Pink Book’ with the following message: “Big thank you to railway ministry, railway minister Ashwini Vaishnav, Prime Minister’s Office and PM Narendra Modi.” The tweet has since been shared widely on social media, with users adding sarcastic asides to it.In addition to criticising the Centre, the upset citizenry has directed its ire at chief minister Basavaraj Bommai, BJP national general secretary CT Ravi, Union minister Bhagwanth Khuba and Kalaburagi MP Umesh Jadhav.
Former president of Hyderabad-Karnataka Chamber of Commerce and Industry (HKCCI) Umakant Nigudgi pointed out that little had been done to improve the infrastructure of the Kalaburagi division. “Since its creation, during Mallikarjun Kharge’s tenure as the Union railway minister, the government has been allocating money largely as a nominal exercise. Since the Union cabinet comprises powerful ministers from Maharashtra, we suspect that they are hindering the growth of the Kalaburagi division since it generates more revenue that the Solapur Division of Central Railway. The central government must bear in mind that a dedicated railway division centred in Kalaburagi was recommended by the Justice Sarin Committee in 1985,” Nigudgi said.
Founder president of Kalyana Nadu Vikasa Vedike Muttanna Nadageri sought to remind the Centre of CM Bommai’s appeal to expedite the process of setting up necessary infrastructure for the nascent Kalaburagi division. “It is an insult to the region, and the CM of the state. When the general manager of Central Railway visited Kalaburgi, officials from the Solapur Division did not allow Kalaburagi activists to submit a memorandum. We are now planning to launch an agitation under HKCCI’s leadership,” he said.
In series of tweets, various organisations such as Rastrakuta Abhivruddhi Vedike, took a jibe at the meagre allocation by pointing out that they could not afford a copper glass they would need for puja with the money.
President of Kalyana Karnataka Grahakara Vedike Sunil Kulkarni pointed out that the state government had parted with 43.2 acres free of cost in 2014 so the Kalaburagi division could commence operations.