Prior to the Communist Party of India (Marxist) (CPI-M) three-day State-level conference to be held in Tumakuru from December 29, the CPI(M) will organise a divisional-level conference in Kalaburagi on December 21 to discuss issues and challenges facing Kalyana Karnataka region.

CPI(M) district secretary K. Neela, addressing a press conference here on Wednesday, said that the conference will focus on burning issues such as maternal deaths, infant mortality, malnutrition, migration and unemployment.

The conference will demand the State government to provide employment security by extending the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee (MGNREGA) to urban areas.

Economist T.R. Chandrashekar and editor of Janashakti S.Y. Gurushant will focus on various issues facing the region during the conference.