Minister Hebbalkar Urges Field Work, Addresses Development Issues in Udupi
Udupi: Minister for Women and Child Development and Udupi District In-charge Minister Lakshmi Hebbalkar has called for increased field activity from officers in response to the district’s above-average rainfall. Speaking at the quarterly KDP meeting held at the Udupi Zilla Panchayat Dr. V.S. At Acharya Auditorium on Friday, Hebbalkar emphasized the need for proactive measures to prevent public inconvenience.
The Minister announced the release of Rs 4.50 crore to combat coastal erosion and instructed officials to expedite related projects. She directed department officials to conduct a thorough assessment of coastal erosion-affected areas from Hejmadi in Kapu taluk to Shirur in Byndoor and to submit a detailed report to the government.
Hebbalkar also addressed the management of Malpe Port, instructing port department officials to prioritize security through the installation of CCTV cameras, maintain cleanliness, and ensure overall proper management.
Highlighting the potential of Udupi as a major tourist destination, the Minister urged focused attention on tourism and sports development. She emphasized the district’s natural beauty, scientific significance, and religious sites, advocating for increased efforts to attract visitors. Hebbalkar called for the regulation of unauthorized homestays and stressed the prohibition of employing children under 18 years of age at tourist locations. She further suggested adopting a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model to stimulate advancement in both the tourism and sports sectors.
Addressing concerns within the agricultural sector, Minister Hebbalkar warned that companies supplying substandard seeds to farmers in the district would face blacklisting and strict punitive measures. She also noted the inadequacy of agricultural equipment supply in Udupi compared to other districts, calling for improvements in this area.
Horticulture department officials were instructed to enhance awareness of government schemes and promote the cultivation of high-yield fruit crops. The Minister also mandated that officials provide progress reports on field-level work at the subsequent meeting.
Regarding housing schemes for those engaged in fishing activities, Hebbalkar acknowledged the limited approval of only 25 houses despite the prevalence of fishing along the coastal region. She assured that measures would be taken to address these issues.
The Minister expressed dissatisfaction with the delayed compensation for land acquired five years ago for the Varahi irrigation project. She ordered that appropriate compensation be provided to farmers by the next meeting, allowing them to resume cultivation, and that permission be granted for necessary work on deemed forest land.
During the meeting, Minister Hebbalkar gathered information from officials representing various departments, including transport, irrigation, animal husbandry, health, and education. She expressed dissatisfaction with inadequate responses from some officials and engaged in discussions regarding the achievements and challenges within each department.
The Minister commended education department officials for their contribution to Udupi district’s second-place ranking in the SSLC division and first-place ranking in PUC results for the year 2024-25.
Hebbalkar Challenges BJP on NREGA Fund Delays
Turning to national issues, Minister Hebbalkar challenged BJP leaders to address the central government’s failure to release NREGA funds to laborers. This challenge came in response to BJP criticism regarding a one-month delay in fund disbursement under the state’s Gruhalakshmi scheme.
She expressed outrage that contract workers employed under the NREGA scheme, initiated by former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, have not received salary payments for the past five months. Hebbalkar urged BJP leaders to advocate for the release of NREGA funds, rather than focusing solely on the delayed Gruhalakshmi disbursement.
The meeting was attended by MLAs Yashpal Suvarna, Kiran Kumar Kodgi, Suresh Shetty Gurme, Gururaj Gantihole; Legislative Council members Manjunath Bhandary and Dhananjay Sarje; District Commissioner Swaroopa T.K.; Zilla Panchayat CEO Prateek Bayal; SP Hariram Shankar; DFO Ganapati; and other departmental officials.
