Number of backward taluks rises in Karnataka, 93 classified most backward, 36 more backward, 43 backward

Despite Karnataka’s strong socio-economic growth over the past 25 years, the Karnataka Regional Imbalances Redressal Committee (2026), headed by economist M. Govinda Rao, has found a significant increase in the number of backward taluks.

It identified 93 taluks as most backward, 36 as more backward, 43 as backward, and 64 as developed taluks.

The panel submitted its report to Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Saturday.

A High-Powered Committee (HPC-I) on regional imbalances, headed by D.M. Nanjundappa in 2002, had classified 39 taluks as most backward, 40 as more backward, 39 as backward and the remaining 61 as developed. The total number of taluks in Karnataka has increased from 175 in 2001 to 236 at present, an addition of 61 taluks.

The Govinda Rao-headed panel said the proportion of backward taluks in the total number of taluks has increased from 65% in 2001-02 to 72.8% in 2022-23, indicating a widening of regional imbalances despite overall economic progress.

The report noted that the high rank in per capita income in the State was not matched by improvement in human development.

A sharp increase in inequality in per capita income was due to concentration of growth in modern services sector, only in a few districts, it said.