MANGALURU: Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai has announced 5,000 houses for shelterless fishers on priority under the Rajiv Gandhi Awas Yojana. In order to improve the income of fishers and encourage deep fishing, 100 deep sea fishing boats will be added to the fleet under the Matsya Siri project in convergence with the Centre Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojane.
Further, in order to allow fishing boats to move without any hassle, the budget proposed to improve the navigation channels through dredging. He said a new technology will be adopted to check sea erosion in the coastal districts.
In order to improve tourism in Coastal Karnataka, the CM said that the Coastal Regulatory Zone (CRZ) will be simplified. He also announced Rs 350 crore for the expansion of Mangalore Port.
The CM also announced that hostels would be established for backward class students in the name of social reformer Shree Narayana Guru in Dakshina Kannada, Udupi, Uttara Kannada and Shivamogga districts where the Billava/Idiga community people are significant in number. It may be recalled that the BJP was under fire recently for allegedly rejecting a Narayan Guru tableau of the Kerala government for the Republic Day parade in Delhi.
Apart from these measures, the CM announced setting up of Arebashe Centre at Mangalore University and a centre in the name of Kayyara Kiyanna Rai in Kasaragod in Kerala among others.