Ashok’s Saturday statement pulls no punches, holding Congress accountable for the disparities given their prolonged rule and Siddaramaiah’s multiple budget presentations. He called for ample, segregated funding to undo years of oversight, rejecting any merger of existing departmental grants into this category.

Explicitly, he ruled out counting routine disbursements to development boards or corporations toward the regional redressal kitty. ‘A fresh, dedicated allocation is non-negotiable,’ Ashok declared, amid accusations that backward taluks have surged from 65% to 72.8% despite earlier committee identifications by Prof. D.M. Nanjundappa.

Dismissing Congress’s rhetoric on underdeveloped regions as insincere, Ashok challenged the ruling party to lead by example with unprecedented budgetary commitments. Even as the government touts Karnataka’s high NS DP ranking, he insisted on addressing imbalance fundamentals.

To ensure efficacy, Ashok recommended a dedicated monitoring unit for the 11 recommendations, tracking funds from allocation to outcome with rigid timelines. He advocated penalties for fund misuse and shifts in board operations toward expert-led, needs-based projects over political favoritism.

Echoing the committee’s core advice, Ashok reiterated the dual-track funding model: regular budgets plus special grants proportioned by backwardness levels. This comprehensive approach, he argued, would finally deliver equitable growth to all corners of Karnataka, fostering a more balanced developmental narrative.