In a significant fiscal achievement, Belagavi district’s gram panchayats collected ₹110 crore in property tax during 2024–25, according to Zilla Panchayat CEO Rahul Shinde. Speaking at a press interaction hosted by the Belagavi Journalists’ Association at Varta Bhavan, he noted that the sum includes arrears from institutions like the Belagavi Sambra Airport Authority, which paid ₹1 crore, and annual levies from sugar factories.
Cost-saving initiatives, including cutting off unauthorized and non-functional borewells and installing LED streetlights, saved the district ₹13 crore. Meanwhile, under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS), employment was generated for 1.1 crore people. Equal pay for men and women is now standard, with women comprising 57% of the workforce. Projects such as drainage systems and school boundaries were completed, and payments are now directly transferred to beneficiaries’ bank accounts, replacing older cheque methods. An ombudsman has been appointed to ensure transparency.
As part of the Swachh Bharat Mission, the district has ramped up rural sanitation with new toilet constructions and STP units in Chikodi and Athani. However, awareness drives are ongoing, as some villagers still hesitate to use the toilets.
Belagavi has identified 257 villages with acute drinking water issues—over 150 of them in Chikodi. While the district remains largely tanker-free, precautionary arrangements are in place. Thirteen multi-village drinking water schemes are underway. Additionally, about 20% of all properties have been digitised under the new E-Property campaign.
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