Belagavi district is so large that residents of some villages have to travel 120 kilometers to reach the district headquarters.
The Karnataka government is taking into account a proposal to create Gokak and Chikkodi districts by carving out Belagavi district, Satish Jarkiholi, minister in charge of the district, said on August 15.
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The Separation
“This matter was raised during the recent meeting of Chief Minister Siddaramaiah’s with MLAs from North Karnataka. Several legislators raised the demand for separation of Belagavi region. The government is earnestly considering this proposal,” he said. Demand first rose in 1997 when new districts were built.
“The J.H. Patel government announced the division of the district but did not implement it due to opposition from local Kannada groups. But this time we are likely to go forward as all their concerns have been addressed,” Satish Jarkiholi told reporters after independence day celebrations.
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Belagavi taluk, which has three seats and a population of about 12 lakh, may also be split, but Satish Jarkiholi said, “So far no decision has been taken on when it will happen or exactly the process of the split.”
According to the authorities, division of the district would facilitate administration.
About Belagavi
Belagavi is the largest district of Karnataka with an area of 13,500 sq km. In terms of population, it is the second largest urban area in Karnataka after Bengaluru.
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The district had a population of 47.8 lakh as per the 2011 census. Its population is estimated to be 54.2 thousand in 2023.
The region stretches from the Western Ghats in the west to the arid northern interior plains in the east. It has three agricultural climatic zones. The district has 18 constituencies, 14 landholdings and 506 gram panchayats covering 1380 villages.
About the Residents
Residents of the district are voters in three Lok Sabha seats – Belagavi, Chikkodi and Canara. The large area of the region complicates administration and it is difficult for officials to reach the inhabitants of remote areas. Residents of some villages, such as Kattalagi in Athani taluk or Udachamma Nagar in Ramdurg taluk, have to travel a distance of 120 km to reach the district headquarters (Belagavi).