The rich cultural heritage of Udupi district that is based on philosophical and religious values should be introduced to the younger generation and spread across the country, Minister for Energy, Kannada and Culture V. Sunil Kumar has said.
He was speaking after inaugurating the silver jubilee celebrations of the formation of Udupi district at Nagoor in Byndoor taluk on Sunday.
Mr. Kumar said that the district is 20 years ahead among the new districts formed in 1997. A roadmap for further development of the district should be formed and the guidance of officials who earlier worked may be availed of for the purpose. Innovations and new enterprises should come up in the district under the Start-up India initiative, he suggested.
The Minister said that all, irrespective of caste, creed and religion, should join hands in the development of the district. Udupi needs an airport, a government medical college, an agriculture college, an ESI hospital and publicity for tourism development, he said.
Presiding over the programme, Byndoor MLA B.M. Sukumara Shetty said that he has brought nearly ₹2,000 crore grant for the development of the Assembly constituency. An airport needs to be built at Ottinene hillock in Byndoor while a government medical college is required in Udupi city. There is a need for augmenting infrastructure in the wake of increased footfall of devotees and tourists in the district, he said.
Udupi MLA K. Raghupathi Bhat, Coastal Area Development Authority chairperson Mattar Ratnakar Hegde, Deputy Commissioner M. Kurma Rao, Zilla Panchayat Chief Executive Officer H. Prasanna, Assistant Commissioner K. Raju, Kirimanjeshwara Gram Panchayat president Geetha and Byndoor Tahsildar Srikanth S. Hegde and others were present.
