Udupi: Saga of development - model for rest of the country!

Udupi Jan 27: 'As many as 112 culverts and vented dams will be built at a cost of Rs 234.16 lakh in the Naxal prone areas of the district under Western Ghats Development programme,' informed Home Minister Dr V S Acharya.

Addressing the gathering after receiving the guard of honour at the 61st Republic Day celebrations here on Tuesday at Ajjarkadu District Stadium, he rejoiced that Udupi district is on top of the Human development Index of the districts in the State. Acharya informed that the District complex built at a cost of Rs 23 crore will be thrown open to public services by the end of the year.

Roads The State Highways are taken up for widening process and the renovation is done at a cost of Rs 290 lakh. PWD is expected to repair all the potholes and channels of 7 State Highways and 84 main stretches of the district by the end of January. The NH-17 stretch extending from Tallur to Padubidre is being repaired. Rs 200 lakh is earmarked for the purpose. About 104 construction works concerning the repair works of the entire main roads of the district along with up gradation of the State Highways will be over by the end of March. Rs 8 crore is earmarked for the widening process of Amabagilu-Kalsanka stretch, the minister said.

Rs 107 lakh has been invested on a ‘Yatri Nivas’ in Karkala to give a boost to the tourism activities. The indoor stadium at Ajjarkadu is ready for the players at a cost of Rs 255.72 lakhs. As many as 291 rural drinking water programmes have been completed at a cost of Rs 3.47 crore under Rural Development Programme. A taskforce have been set up to check out the feasibility of a airport in the district. The coal based Udupi Power Corporation thermal power plant at Nandikur will generate about 600 MW power by March-April. The Mannupalla in Manipal is being renovated at the cost of Rs 3.8 crore, he added.

Acharya said that the Rural Residence Programme and programme to eradicate the poverty in rural areas is being introduced. About 106 Gram Panchayats in the district have been honoured under Sampoorn Swachtha Andolan. As many as 30,954 beneficiaries have availed the facilities under Sandhya Suraksha Yojana in the district. Rs 50 crores will be allotted for Udupi CMC to take up development programmes, he elaborated.

A colourful processions and cultural programmes by the school students marked the Republic Day celebrations in the district. Deputy Commissioner Hemalatha and Superintendent of Police Prawin Pawar were present. DHNS/ Mangalorean