Pics: Spoorthi Ullal
Daijiworld Media Network - Mangaluru (NJC)
Mangaluru, Sep 19: Dakshina Kannada District Congress Committee leaders on Saturday welcomed the decisions announced following the first-ever Karnataka Cabinet meeting held in Mangaluru, describing the initiatives as significant steps towards the development of the coastal region.
Addressing a press conference at the Congress Bhavan in Mallikatta, former MLA K Harish Kumar expressed gratitude to Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and the Cabinet for recognising Tulu as the second official language of Karnataka, describing it as a long-standing demand of the Tulu-speaking community.
He said the demand for recognition of Tulu and its inclusion in the eighth schedule of the Constitution had been raised for several years, including during the World Tulu Convention held at Dharmasthala in 2009.
Harish Kumar also highlighted the development initiatives announced at the Cabinet meeting, including road infrastructure, tourism, employment generation and the proposed government medical college in Puttur. He said the allocation of around Rs 549 crore for the medical college and hospital would be a major step towards strengthening healthcare infrastructure in the district.
District Congress Committee president Padmaraj R Poojary said the party was pleased that the Cabinet meeting was held in Mangaluru for the first time and congratulated the Chief Minister, ministers, district in-charge minister and all those involved in organising the meeting.
He said nearly Rs 32,000 crore has been announced for the development of the coastal region, while several initiatives have also been proposed for Dakshina Kannada.
Among the key initiatives, Padmaraj highlighted the proposed upgradation of the Fisheries College into a full-fledged university and the allocation of funds for road development. He said around Rs 10,000 crore has been allocated for developing nearly 15,000 km of roads across Karnataka.
Padmaraj also said the government had responded to the demand for renaming Dakshina Kannada district as Mangaluru district. He said the government has decided to seek public opinion before taking a final decision.
He further highlighted the Chief Minister's visit to the fishing harbour, where he interacted with officials and fishermen to understand issues faced by the fishing community.
On religious tourism, Padmaraj said the Cabinet had taken decisions relating to the allocation of land and grants to religious and charitable institutions, describing the move as being in line with social justice.
He also mentioned the government's assurance regarding land-related demands of Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe communities and said discussions had been held with the Chief Minister on the issue.
Missing sewage links, High Court bench
Responding to questions on the pending Rs 350-crore proposal to address missing links in the city's sewage network, former MLA J R Lobo said the proposal requires due administrative processing before it can be placed before the Cabinet.
He said the Urban Development Minister had already committed to the allocation and expressed confidence that the proposal would come before the Cabinet in one of the next meetings after the necessary file procedures are completed.
On the long-pending demand for a High Court Bench in Dakshina Kannada, Lobo said the matter involved not only Dakshina Kannada but also neighbouring districts including Udupi, Uttara Kannada, Chikkamagaluru and Kodagu.
He said the issue was being treated as a technical matter and that the government would consider the proposal if consensus was reached among the stakeholders.
Focus on IT, investment and tourism
Lobo said holding the Cabinet meeting outside Bengaluru had sent a significant message about the government's focus on the coastal region.
He said the development initiatives could encourage investors and decision-makers to consider Mangaluru for investments, particularly in sectors such as IT, tourism and industries.
He said Mangaluru and the coastal belt have considerable economic potential and that the region could emerge as a major economic hub in Karnataka.
Prison jammers and network issues
On complaints regarding signal jammers installed near the prison affecting mobile connectivity in the surrounding areas, the leaders said the issue had already been brought to the attention of the authorities.
They said telecommunications comes under the Central Government's jurisdiction and that coordination with mobile network operators would be required to address the problem.
They added that the jammers had been installed for security purposes to prevent unauthorised mobile phone use inside the prison and that the issue would have to be addressed in view of the proposed relocation of the prison.
Development corporations and funding
Responding to questions about the Narayana Guru Development Corporation, Bunts Development Corporation and Coastal Development Authority, Padmaraj said chairpersons had already been appointed and discussions regarding funding had been held with the Chief Minister.
He said the government's manifesto covers priorities for the full term and expressed confidence that the required grants would be released during the remaining period of the current government.
Padmaraj also announced that the newly appointed District Congress Committee president would assume charge on September 24.