Backward taluks rise to 177 despite ₹32,000 crore spend, report flags North Karnataka lag
Bengaluru: Fifteen years after Karnataka began a major push to reduce regional imbalance, a new high-powered committee has found that the number of backward taluks in the state has increased, with underdevelopment remaining heavily concentrated in the northern regions.
Deccan Herald reported that the Karnataka Regional Imbalances Redressal Committee, chaired by economist M Govinda Rao, has reported that 177 of the state’s 236 taluks now fall under varying categories of backwardness. The findings were recently submitted to Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and highlight that regional disparity continues to be a structural problem despite significant public expenditure.
According to the committee’s assessment, 59 taluks have been classified as “most backward”, an equal number as “more backward” and “backward”, while only 59 taluks qualify as “developed”. The panel noted that backwardness is overwhelmingly a North Karnataka phenomenon, with the Kalyana Karnataka region emerging as the most affected. Not a single taluk in this region has been categorised as developed.
The report observed that Karnataka has witnessed strong income growth and an expanding share in the national economy. However, this growth has remained uneven. Economic gains are concentrated in a handful of districts, while large parts of the state continue to lag in social and developmental indicators, as reported by DH. Only six districts—Bengaluru Urban, Bengaluru Rural, Chikmagalur, Dakshina Kannada, Tumakuru and Uttara Kannada—record a Net District Development Product above the state average.
The committee’s findings come after a review of earlier efforts based on recommendations of the DM Nanjundappa Committee. Between 2007-08 and 2022-23, the state spent over ₹32,600 crore to address regional imbalance. Despite this, the new panel cautioned that if spending does not create conditions for sustained growth even higher allocations alone do not guarantee development.
Kalaburagi division was found to have the highest concentration of the most backward taluks, followed by Belagavi. No taluks in the Bengaluru or Mysuru divisions fall into the most backward category, underscoring the sharp regional divide within the state.
The Rao committee has sought an allocation of ₹43,914 crore for the period from 2026 to 2031 to tackle imbalances, while also calling for a shift in approach. It pointed out conceptual and methodological limitations in earlier frameworks, specifically the assumption that development could be achieved mainly through government spending on infrastructure and services.
Stating that their functioning has had limited impact, the panel has also suggested abolishing the Malnad Area Development Board and the Bayaluseeme Development Board. It has also proposed restructuring the Kalyana Karnataka Region Development Board to better align it with its broader objectives.
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CJI's advice to aspirant: Join the bar, become a lawyer, don't hanker for judicial services post
New Delhi (PTI): She came to the Supreme Court seeking a re-evaluation of her paper in the examination for joining judicial services as a magistrate. What she got instead was a rejection — and a candid confession by the Chief Justice that he too had wanted to join the judicial services in his youth but was advised by a senior judge to become a lawyer instead.
A bench comprising Chief Justice Surya Kant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi on Friday dismissed a plea filed by Prerna Gupta, the judicial services aspirant.
As Gupta pressed her case, the CJI intervened and said, "Let me share my personal story and I hope you will go happily as we cannot allow your petition."
He recounted his time as a final-year law student in 1984 when he wanted to become a judicial officer. As per requirement, he cleared the written test and was set to appear for an interview.
Judicial services is one of the two routes to become a judge after initially joining as a magistrate in lower court and thereafter rising through the ranks to become judge in a high court and possibly the Supreme Court.
The other route is to join the Bar, which means becoming a lawyer, and after building a reputation be picked from the Bar to become a judge at a senior level.
By the time the CJI's exam results came out, he had started practising at the Punjab and Haryana High Court when he was called for the interview.
The senior-most judge on the interview panel happened to be a judge before whom he had recently argued two significant matters.
"One of the matters was Sunita Rani vs Baldev Raj, where he had allowed my appeal in a matrimonial case and set aside the decree of divorce granted by the District Judge on the ground of schizophrenia," he noted.
Before the interview could take place, the judge called the young Surya Kant to his chamber and asked, 'Do you want to become a judicial officer?'
"I said 'yes.' He immediately said, 'Get out from (my) the chamber.'"
The courtroom fell silent as the CJI Justice described his initial heartbreak.
“I came out trembling. All my dreams were shattered. I thought he had snubbed me and that my career was over,” the CJI said.
However, the story took another turn the following day and the judge summoned him again, this time offering a piece of advice that would change the trajectory of his life.
“He said, ‘If you want to become (a judge), you are welcome. But my advice is, don’t become a judicial officer. The Bar is waiting for you,’” Justice Surya Kant recalled.
The CJI said he decided to skip his interview and didn't even tell his parents at first, fearing their disappointment, and instead chose to dedicate himself to his practice as an advocate.
“Now tell me did I make a bad right or bad decision,” the CJI asked and the litigant lawyer left the court with a smile on her face despite her case being dismissed.
Encouraging the petitioner to look toward the future rather than dwelling on the re-evaluation of a single paper, Justice Surya Kant said, "The Bar has much to offer."
