B’gavi city to expand by absorbing eight villages

Belagavi: A plan to extend the boundaries of Belagavi city is afoot. District minister Satish Jarkiholi has proposed the merger of eight villages attached to the city with Belagavi City Corporation (BCC).PWD minister Satish Jarkiholi has instructed officials concerned to prepare a fresh proposal. If it is implemented, Hindalga, Nilaji, Benakanahalli, Peeranwadi, Kangrali Khurd, Kangali Budruk, Kakati, and Macche villages will be part of BCC.According to the 2021 census, Belagavi city's population is around 5 lakh. If eight villages surrounding the city are merged with the BCC, it will increase by 1 lakh. Besides, the number of wards will also increase for the forthcoming elections, following a reorganisation.A few years ago, the zilla panchayat sent a proposal to the government about merging eight GPs with BCC. However, no serious discussions were held on the proposal, either at the government level or at the city level. With each passing day, problems get bigger, as the proposed villages grow along the city limits.BCC is already facing a boundary problem with villages attached to the city. Many villages dump garbage in city limits, which is disposed of by the BCC. The land cost in those villages has skyrocketed. However, infrastructure facilities like roads and gardens are lacking due to a shortage of funds.The major challenge the city is facing is preparing a master plan for the city. If the master plan is prepared keeping the next 20 years in mind, all eight villages must be included in the city. Due to the delay in merging the villages with BCC, the village authorities are creating infrastructure keeping just the villages in mind. This would be challenging when the city masterplan is prepared, as villages have created infrastructure according to their convenience.According to minister Satish Jarkiholi, “It is very critical to merge the villages with BCC and prepare an overall broader masterplan for the city's development. I have instructed officials to start work on the proposal as soon as possible."Interestingly, the government has recently upgraded Macche and Peeranwadi gram panchayats as town panchayats. Hence, this issue will become tricky when the amalgamation of GPs with BCC is taken up.
Stay updated with the latest news on Times of India. Don't miss daily games like Crossword, Sudoku, Location Guesser and Mini Crossword. Spread love this holiday season with these Christmas wishes, messages, and quotes.