Demand Grows for Decentralisation Through Suvarna Soudha Move
Activists in Belagavi have renewed their demand that the Karnataka government shift more departments and decision-making offices to the Suvarna Soudha, arguing that this would demonstrate a genuine commitment to decentralisation. They point out that although the Suvarna Soudha was established to strengthen administration in North Karnataka, it remains underutilised, with most key government activities still concentrated in Bengaluru. Activists say this imbalance undermines regional development and fuels dissatisfaction in the northern districts. They urge the State to relocate major offices, hold regular administrative reviews, and ensure that ministers and senior officials function from Suvarna Soudha for part of the year. According to them, meaningful decentralisation requires not just symbolic gestures like the winter legislative session in Belagavi but structural shifts in governance. Strengthening the Suvarna Soudha, they argue, would boost administrative efficiency, improve public access to government services, and reinforce the State’s commitment to regional equity.
