Mangaluru will implement an underground electricity-cable project costing ₹166 crore, Dakshina Kannada district in-charge minister U.T. Khader said at a Karnataka Rajyotsava programme in the city on Sunday. He also announced that the Ullal taluk hospital would be started at Mudipu and said applicants for below-poverty-line ration cards would receive them soon.
Khader made the announcements after hoisting the flag and receiving the guard of honour at an event organised by the Dakshina Kannada district administration at Nehru Maidan in Mangaluru. He said the underground cable project would be taken up in the city, but the report did not specify its proposed alignment, execution agency, construction schedule or completion deadline.
The minister also spoke about the use of Kannada in homes, schools, administration and technology. He said language pride should not mean keeping other languages away and encouraged young people to learn any language while retaining Kannada. He added that Kannada should contribute to technological development and receive a respected place in technology-related activities.
Khader said the Ullal taluk hospital would be launched at Mudipu, although the report did not provide details on the hospital’s capacity, services, staffing, funding or opening date. He also said ration cards would be distributed soon to people who had applied for BPL cards.
The announcements came as the district administration held the annual statehood-day programme, where 54 organisations and 120 individuals were honoured for achievements in different fields. Awards were also presented to the Guides team of SDM School in Urwa Ashoknagar and the boys’ road-safety unit of St Teresa’s School in Bendore for their performances in the parade.
The programme was attended by Mangaluru MP Captain Brijesh Chowta, legislators Vedavyas Kamath and other officials, Mangaluru Urban Development Authority chairman Santosh Kumar Shetty, district officials, police officers and Mangaluru municipal commissioner Rahul Ratnam Pandey.
Khader also raised concerns about the district’s water and climate conditions. He said rainfall had not been adequate this year and warned of drinking-water problems as early as January, along with signs of increased heat. He called for preparedness to deal with the effects of climate change, but the report did not identify specific water-supply measures or a separate resilience plan.
The district administration’s next steps on the underground cable project, the Mudipu hospital and ration-card distribution were not detailed in the report.
