‘Eight villages to be included into Udupi CMC’

Vinay Kumar Sorake, Urban Development Minister, said on Saturday that his ministry planned to include eight neighbouring villages to Udupi City Municipal Council (CMC). He was speaking after distributing various government schemes cheques to 221 beneficiaries at a mass contact programme here.

Mr. Sorake said that the eight villages proposed were Yembattu Badagabettu, Alevoor, Udyavar, Ambalpady and Kadekar. These villages would be included only after taking their as well as the Udupi CMC’s consent.

Road widening

The Minister said that the road from Athrady to Bajpe Airport would be widened to provide faster connectivity to Udupi and Manipal with the airport. The Detailed Project Report for the widening of this Road had already been prepared.

Highway to be upgraded

The Malpe-Malkalmuru State Highway would be upgraded to a National Highway. This would improve connectivity between Udupi and Shimoga cities. It would also help in development of trade and commerce between the two districts.

As many as 500 housing sites would be distributed to eligible beneficiaries in Kaup Assembly Constituency. The problem of below the poverty line (BPL) cards which could not be solved by the previous government had been solved in the last eight months.

The government had decided that only boiled rice produced in the district would be distributed.

If this was not available, raw rice would be distributed through fair price shops. The government was implementing the Manaswini Scheme, under which women from BPL families who are either unmarried or are divorcees would receive a monthly pension of Rs. 500. They must be in the 40-60 age group.

Facilities

The aim behind organizing such mass contact programmes such as the present one was to take facilities to the doorsteps of the people. People need not go to the taluk office and other offices for getting various certificates. They would be provided in such programmes held in rural areas.

A counter would be opened to provide various government certificates and to accept applications at Hiriyadka village, Mr. Sorake said.

Upendra Nayak, President of Zilla Panchayat, Ida Gibba D’Souza, Zilla Panchayat member, Gurudas B. and Satyendra, Taluk Panchayat members, Kusuma P., President of Gram Panchayat, were present.