Minister Priyank Kharge taking the gun salute during the Independence Day celebrations at the DAR Police Parade Ground in Kalaburagi on Saturday.
| Photo Credit: ARUN KULKARNI
The State government will establish a skill park in Kalaburagi to equip young people with employment-oriented skills, Home, IT-BT and e-Governance Minister and Kalaburagi district in-charge Minister Priyank Kharge said here on Saturday.Addressing the gathering after hoisting the tricolour during the 80th Independence Day celebrations at the District Armed Reserve Police parade ground in Kalaburagi, Mr. Kharge said nearly ₹250 crore had been invested in skill development for establishing a Multi-Skill Development Centre and Government Tool Room and Training Centre in the Kalyana Karnataka region.The government had initiated the process of filling 72,186 posts across Karnataka, of which 32,177 posts would be filled in the Kalyana Karnataka region, Mr. Kharge said and added that the State government would soon enact a stringent law to curb malpractice in competitive and recruitment examinations.To promote sports, cultural activities, scientific temper, social harmony and constitutional values, the State government also proposed to establish 10,000 Bharat Jodo youth organisations across Karnataka, and a sum of ₹1,010 crore had been earmarked for the initiative, with each organisation eligible for annual assistance of up to ₹10 lakh at different stages.A ₹50 crore mega dairy was being established with Kalyana Karnataka Region Development Board funds. With a capacity of one lakh litres a day, it was expected to benefit 25,000 farm families, or nearly 1.5 lakh people, across three districts.The Cabinet had approved ₹152 crore for 400 electric buses to improve public transport in the Kalyana Karnataka region, while four satellite bus terminals had been proposed for Kalaburagi, he added.Under Kalyana Patha, 64 roads covering 254.66 km were being developed across all nine Assembly constituencies at a cost of ₹226.10 crore. Of this, 152.60 km had been completed, and the rest was expected to be completed by November. Another 59 roads covering 257.77 km were being developed under Pragati Patha at ₹185.33 crore.The government was preparing a blueprint to develop Kalaburagi as a sustainable smart city, he said. The renovation and beautification of Appa Lake, along with the LEAP programme to accelerate local economic activity, would be launched by Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar on September 17.At the gram panchayat level, ₹25 crore was being spent on solar micro-grids to address power-related issues and promote sustainable energy, while another ₹80 crore had been sanctioned for basic infrastructure.Development of the Kalaburagi and Malakhed forts and the Suryanarayana temple at Kalagi and Sannati was under way. A master plan had been prepared for Deval Ganagapur, with first-phase works expected to begin shortly.Mr. Kharge appealed to young people and the public to join the Police Department’s ‘Operation Rise’ and ‘Beda Bro’ anti-drug awareness campaigns.Paying tribute to freedom fighters, Mr. Kharge recalled the contributions of Mahatma Gandhi, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, B.R. Ambedkar and Jawaharlal Nehru to India’s democratic, economic and social progress.Taking a swipe at those who questioned what Jawaharlal Nehru had done for the country, Mr. Kharge said the former Prime Minister’s contribution to nation-building could not be separated from the institutions and infrastructure created during his tenure. He pointed to Hindustan Machine Tools, BEL, HAL and ISRO, besides investments in irrigation, food security and education, saying these initiatives helped lay the foundations for India’s industrial and scientific development. Published - August 15, 2026 08:05 pm IST
