Mangaluru: Coastal Development Authority chairman Mattaru Rathnakar Hegde on Saturday, February 22, informed that State Planning Secretary Shalini Rajneesh has already promised to convert the Authority into a development corporation and bring it to the Chief Minister’s notice in the next meeting.
Speaking to reporters here on Saturday, after holding a meeting chaired by MP Nalin Kumar Kateel, Hegde said, “If the Coastal Development Authority is converted into a Coastal Development Corporation, then there will be more grants from the government. Besides that, more staff can be recruited and it can undertake works on its own. At present, the Authority cannot undertake any work on its own and all works related to this body are undertaken by the Department of Public Works and other agencies which selected by the Zilla Panchayat. After conversion, the corporation will also have its own engineers,” he said.
Hegde added that an attempt is being made to establish a Marine Industry Zone through the Coastal Development Authority and the objective is to provide the necessary infrastructure to promote fisheries as a profitable system and promote export activities. The proposed project is still in the pipeline and is yet to be finalised.
Speaking about other projects, Hegde said, “A full-fledged fishing road will be set up from Mangaluru to Karwar at the cost of around Rs 100 crore. As a huge amount is required for this project to materialise, it will be undertaken in phases.”
MP Nalin asks CDA to submit scientific report to govt
MP Nalin Kumar Kateel, who presided over the meeting, asked the officials of the Coastal Development Authority to submit a scientific report to the government regarding the infrastructure development of three districts- Dakshina Kannada, Udupi and Uttara Kannada. “More importance should be given to agricultural activities, fishing and tourism development in the report,” he said.
Mangaluru South MLA D Vedavyas Kamath, Coastal Development Authority secretary Pradeep D’Souza, MCC members Premananda Shetty, Sudheer Shetty, BJP district president Sudarshan M and others were present.
