From Our Special Correspondent
Daijiworld Media Network - Bengaluru

Bengaluru, Mar 25: While not ruling out the creation of new taluks, Karnataka chief minister Siddaramaiah has clarified that no definite time-frame could be sey.

Intervening during the debate on the budget for the year 2015-16 in the State Legislative Assembly on Tuesday, he said the 43 new taluks, which were announced by the previous BJP government in the State budget for 2013-14, would be carved out based on the availability of finances.

"It is not necessary that we should carve out new taluks this year itself", the chief minister said.

He, however, said the BJP government headed by Jagadish Shettar announced formation of 43 new taluks on the eve of Legislative Assembly polls in 2013 "knowing fully well that the party would not come back to power to implement the decision,’’ Siddaramaiah said.

Earlier, during the Zero Hour, Revenue Minister V Srinivas Prasad said no funds had been earmarked for the formation of new taluks in the State budget for 2015-16.

Initiating the debate on the budgetary proposals, BJP Leader of the Opposition Jagadish Shettar alleged that the Government had no commitment to form the new taluks.

When he was the Chief Minister he had proposed 43 new taluks and a majority of them in north Karnataka, Shettar said.