Mangaluru: Karnataka Chief Minister D K Shivakumar arrived in Mangaluru on Thursday evening along with Deputy Chief Minister G Parameshwara and Cabinet Ministers Priyank Kharge and Sharanprakash Patil, ahead of the State Cabinet’s special meeting scheduled to be held in the city on Friday, September 18.
The meeting at Praja Soudha in Padil is the first special Karnataka Cabinet meeting to be held outside Bengaluru. The visit has brought senior ministers and elected representatives from the coastal districts together to discuss development proposals concerning Dakshina Kannada, Udupi and Uttara Kannada.
Shivakumar reviews arrangements in Mangaluru
After arriving in Mangaluru from Kalaburagi, Chief Minister Shivakumar and the ministerial delegation proceeded to the Dakshina Kannada Deputy Commissioner’s office to review preparations for the Cabinet meeting.
Officials have been making arrangements at Praja Soudha in Padil for the meeting, which is expected to focus on development-related proposals from the coastal region.
The Cabinet’s agenda is expected to include issues concerning infrastructure, ports, fisheries, industrial development and other regional demands.
The meeting has been planned as part of the State government’s engagement with the coastal districts and is expected to provide an opportunity for ministers and officials to discuss proposals directly with regional representatives.
Seating arrangement draws U T Khader’s attention
During the inspection of the venue, Health and Family Welfare Minister and Dakshina Kannada district in-charge minister U T Khader reportedly objected to the seating arrangements made for officials.
According to Daijiworld, Khader noticed that the chairs arranged for officials did not have armrests and questioned the organisers about the arrangement.
The report said a vendor explained that similar chairs were used in Bengaluru but could not be brought to Mangaluru at short notice. Khader then instructed the organisers to make the necessary changes.
Following the exchange, officials decided to replace the chairs with seating that had armrests.
The reported disagreement occurred during the final preparations for the Cabinet meeting and did not affect the scheduled proceedings.
Dinner meeting held with coastal representatives
Ahead of Friday’s Cabinet meeting, Chief Minister Shivakumar also hosted a dinner meeting on Thursday evening for elected representatives from the three coastal districts.
MLAs, MLCs and MPs from Dakshina Kannada, Udupi and Uttara Kannada were invited to the meeting.
The session was intended to facilitate discussions on regional development proposals before the Cabinet’s formal deliberations on Friday. According to the report, representatives were expected to discuss issues that could be placed before the Cabinet.
The three coastal districts have submitted several demands relating to infrastructure, tourism, fisheries, ports, industrial development and connectivity.
Coastal development proposals in focus
The special Cabinet meeting is expected to consider a range of proposals concerning the coastal region.
Infrastructure development is among the major areas of focus, with road connectivity, port-related projects and other public infrastructure forming part of the broader development agenda.
The fisheries sector is another important area for the coastal districts, which have a large fishing community and related industries.
Industrial development and tourism are also expected to feature in discussions, along with proposals concerning local infrastructure and public services.
The final decisions on individual proposals will depend on the Cabinet agenda and the discussions held during the meeting.
First special Cabinet meeting outside Bengaluru
The September 18 meeting is significant because it marks the first special Karnataka Cabinet meeting to be held outside Bengaluru, according to the Daijiworld report.
The meeting is being conducted at the District Administration Office complex in Padil, where arrangements have been made for the Chief Minister, ministers and senior officials.
The decision to hold the meeting in Mangaluru has brought renewed attention to development proposals from the coastal districts and the demands being raised by local representatives.
Security and arrangements put in place
With the Chief Minister and several Cabinet ministers arriving in Mangaluru, security arrangements have been strengthened around the venue and areas covered by the ministerial programme.
District officials have been coordinating arrangements for the Cabinet meeting, while preparations at Praja Soudha continued ahead of the ministers’ arrival.
The inspection by the Chief Minister and senior ministers on Thursday was part of the final preparations before the Cabinet begins its deliberations on Friday.
The meeting is expected to conclude with decisions or further directions on several proposals placed before the government, though the outcome will depend on the discussions and approvals during the Cabinet session.