Bangalore: When Karnataka celebrates its Rajyotsava Day on November 1, 12 of its cities will officially bear new names. Thus Bangalore will become Bengaluru, Mangalore Mangaluru, and so on.
The state government will officially issue a notification to change the nomenclature of 12 cities for which the Union home ministry has given its nod to coincide with the Rajyotsava Day.
The Centre’s notification will need the cabinet’s ratification, but that is not mandatory. An executive order can also be issued by the chief minister, said Basavaraj, principal secretary, revenue department.
Earlier it may be recalled, Siddaramaiah had on October 10, at a meeting of Kannada litterateurs and organizations, announced that Belgaum would be renamed Belagavi. Later, the renaming process was put on the fast track, with revenue department officials coordinating with ministry of home affairs on a daily basis to give the final nod to the state’s proposal.
The 12 cities whose names were sought to be changed are Bangalore as Bengaluru; Mangalore as Mangaluru; Bellary as Ballari; Bijapur as Vijayapura or Vijapura; Belgaum as Belagavi; Chikmagalur as Chikkamagaluru; Gulbarga as Kalaburagi; Mysore as Mysuru; Hospet as Hosapete; Shimoga as Shivamogga; Hubli as Hubballi, and Tumkur as Tumakuru.