Belagavi: The state government on Tuesday appointed Minister for Rural Development and Panchayat Raj H.K. Patil as the in-charge Minister for the Maharashtra–Karnataka border related issues. CM Siddaramaiah passed the order.

This move comes as a response to the BJP government in Maharashtra which appointed its minister for Public Works Chandrakant Patil as the nodal Minister for the Maharashtra–Karnataka boundary dispute. Since then, several Kannada organisations were putting pressure on the government to form a separate committee headed by HK Patil on boundary dispute.

The state government had then said it was taking all corrective steps to safeguard the interests of the State.

Pro-Kannada organizations of Belagavi and other border districts have wholeheartedly welcomed the government decision and congratulated CM Siddaramaiah for the same.