The Federation of North Karnataka Associations has urged the State Government to designate a city in the region as the second capital of Karnataka. Members also used the government to establish an international airport in the region.

The demand was raised at a meeting of representatives of various north Karnataka associations held at Karnatak Vidyavardhak Sangha in Dharwad on September 16. The participants unanimously resolved to ask the State Government to take up the two demands, and accelerate measures to address what they described as regional imbalances in development.

Presiding over the meeting, president of the Federation of North Karnataka Associations Shivakumar Meti said the organisation was working for the overall development of the region. He urged the State Government to focus on issues relating to land, water, infrastructure, and cultural development.

He said establishing a second capital in north Karnataka and an international airport would help strengthen the region’s connectivity, and administrative and economic development.

Federation general secretary Shankar Pagoji said the government should take the issue of regional imbalance seriously. He said continued neglect had made it necessary for organisations in north Karnataka to intensify their efforts to draw the government’s attention to the region’s demands.

Shankar Halagatti, general secretary of Karnatak Vidyavardhak Sangha, said the concerns about regional imbalance extended beyond economic and infrastructure development to the cultural sphere. He called upon political representatives from the region to take up the issues more actively with the government.

President of North Karnataka Film Chamber of Commerce Manjunath Hagedar said, “Apart from economic development, the region faced disparities in the entertainment sector as well, and called for corrective measures.”

Secretary of North Karnataka Agitation Committee Nagesh Golshetty said organisations had been campaigning for the development of the region for several years. He warned that continued neglect could strengthen demands for a separate State.

Federation vice-president Basavaraj Bilur said concentrating development around Bengaluru and Mysuru would not address regional disparities. He urged the State Government to announce a special package for north Karnataka.

Pakshi Mitra organisation’s Prakash Gowdar, Kali Agitation Committee’s Shrishailagowda Kamatar, senior Mallakhamba exponent Siddaroodha Hoogar, and office-bearers of the Bengaluru-based North Karnataka Mahasamsthe, including Basayya Nandikola, Shantesh Math and Devaraj Kavalikayi, were among those present.