Karnataka Home Minister V.S. Acharya said on Saturday that priority would be given for tourism development in the district. He was delivering the Independence Day message after unfurling the national flag at the District Stadium here.
Dr. Acharya said that the district had many pilgrim centres, beaches, islands and water falls. Basic infrastructure and connecting roads were being provided to these places. Adventure sports were being encouraged. An amount of Rs.22 lakh was being spent for the development of Malpe beach, while Rs.1 crore had been sanctioned for the development of a jetty on St. Marys Island.
A Rs.10-crore plan for the development of other tourist spots in the district had been submitted to the Karavali Karnataka Development Authority. The construction of the Koti Chennayya Theme Park in Karkala at a cost of Rs.1 crore had been started. The government had also granted Rs.1 crore for the construction of the Shivaram Karanth Memorial at Kotathattu village.
As many as 25 mini watershed projects would be taken up at a cost of Rs 2.96 crore under the Western Ghats Development Project. A plan with an outlay of Rs.8 crore had been prepared under the National Rural Employment Guarantee (NREG) Scheme. As many as 22,357 families had been registered under this scheme.
An amount of Rs. 4.34 crore had been released under the Integrated Koraga Development Scheme. This would be used for providing housing and development of lands of the Koragas. Steps would be taken to provide roads and drinking water to the Koraga colonies, Dr. Acharya said.
Cultural programmes
Cultural programmes such as rendition of the Raitha geete and Negila Yogi by students of the Mukunda Kripa School; dances on themes such as Aikya Geete by students of MGM College; Chak de India by students of St. Cecilys School; Shanti Sandesha by Vidyodaya Pre-University College; and Vande Mataram by the Bhargavi Dance Team were performed on the occasion.
Member of Parliament D.V. Sadananda Gowda, Deputy Commissioner P. Hemalatha and Superintendent of Police Pravin Pawar were present.
