Mangaluru: The state cabinet has passed the proposal to form 49 new taluks in the state on Monday and the good news is that five to-be taluks are in Udupi and Dakshina Kannada districts.
According to the decision taken by the state cabinet, two major towns of Dakshina Kannada district Moodabidre and Kadaba will be converted into taluks while Brahmavara, Kaup and Byndoor of Udupi will be converted as new taluks.
Demand to upgrade these important towns into taluks has been a long-pending one. The state government has already appointed special tahsildars in all these towns. But once these towns get full-fledged taluk status they will get additional facilities including health and educational infrastructure.
Even though locals welcome the decision of creation of new taluks, all are not happy. In a place like Nelyadi, which is in Belthangady taluk, the residents are unhappy that they will be going to be part of Kadaba taluk. They have their own reasons. Under-developed infrastructure of Kadaba itself is going to be a major challenge and far flung pockets of this new taluk will suffer in a big way, they say.
Meanwhile, in Udupi district, formation of Kaup and Brahmavara taluk is not going down well with many because they say the dependence on and importance of Udupi taluk will drastically come down if these two taluks are formed.
But, all in all, the decision comes as a big victory for all those who have been fighting for separate taluk-status to these towns, which had gained importance due to their strategic placement.
Law Minister T B Jayachandra, in a news conference on Monday said that the Deputy Commissioners of the respective districts have been asked to finalise the boundaries of the new taluks coming under their jurisdiction so that there is no ambiguity.
It may be recalled that the first announcement to form new taluks was made by BJP leader Jagadish Shettar when he was the chief minister in 2013. But, the plans did not take wings due to cost factor. It is estimated that at least Rs 2 crore is required to form a new taluk.
Names of new taluks
Guledagudda, Rabakavi-Banahatti and Ilakal (Bagalkot); Nippani, Mudalagi and Kagawad (Belagavi); Hanuru (Chamarajanagara); Nyamati (Davangere); Chitaguppa, Hulasuru and Kamalanagara (Bidar); Kurugodu, Kotturu and Kampli (Ballari); Annigeri, Alnavar and Hubballi City (Dharwad); Gajendragad and Lakshmeshwar (Gadag); Kalagi, Kamalapura, Yadrami and Shahabad (Kalaburagi); Hunasagi, Vadagera and Gurumitkal (Yadgir); Kukanuru, Kanakagiri and Karatagi (Koppal); Maski and Siravara (Raichur); Brahmavara, Kapu and Byndooru (Udupi); Moodbidire and Kadaba (Dakshina Kannada); Yelahanka (Bengaluru Urban); Babaleshwara, Nidagundi, Tikota, Devarahipparagi, Talikote, Chadachana and Kolhara (Vijayapura); Rattihalli (Haveri); Saraguru (Mysuru); Ajjampura (Chikkamagaluru); Dandeli (Uttara Kannada) and KGF (Kolar).
At present, there are 176 taluks spread over 30 districts in the state.
