The Belagavi City Corporation has been allocated ₹127.50 crore under the state government’s Mahatma Gandhi Urban Development Scheme. A total of ₹1,530 crore has been distributed among ten cities in Karnataka through this initiative, with Mysore City Corporation receiving the highest share of ₹250 crore.
The sanctioned funds are designated from 2024-25 to 2026-27. Belagavi’s allocation plan is currently under preparation. While ₹127.50 crore has been uniformly sanctioned to most cities, the Urban Development Minister, Bairati Suresh, used his authority to provide additional funds to four cities, adjusting the overall distribution.
Cities like Mysore received an additional ₹122.50 crore, Bijapur ₹22.50 crore, Tumkur ₹72.50 crore, and Mangalore ₹37.50 crore. These adjustments have resulted in a notable variation in funding levels across the state.
City-Wise Fund Distribution
Here is the complete breakdown of funds received by various city corporations:
Mysore: ₹250 crore
Tumkur: ₹200 crore
Mangalore: ₹165 crore
Bijapur: ₹150 crore
Belagavi: ₹127.50 crore
Ballari: ₹127.50 crore
Davangere: ₹127.50 crore
Shimoga: ₹127.50 crore
Gulbarga: ₹127.50 crore
Hubli-Dharwad: ₹127.50 crore
The Mahatma Gandhi Urban Development Scheme was initially launched in 2019 by the then Chief Minister B. S. Yeddyurappa during the Bharatiya Janata Party’s tenure. Despite a change in government in 2023, the Congress administration decided to continue the scheme. However, concerns have been raised over the distribution of funds among corporators in Belagavi, sparking debates on equitable allocation.
In 2019, Belagavi City Corporation was under administrative governance, with no elected representatives in place to influence fund usage. Now, with ₹127.50 crore sanctioned, how much will directly benefit the city’s developmental projects remains to be seen.
Municipal corporations received 100 crore under Nagatothan scheme and most of the money was wasted in repairing roads and those roads were relaid by smart city funds. I don’t how these funds of 127 crore will be put to optimum use. City corporation is still not taking hover the projects completed by smart city and maintenance of these projects itself will be hilarious task for CCB. Let’s hope Belagavi will be more beautiful city in the future.