District-in-Charge Minister B Nagaraj Shetty has assured of convening a special meeting between Karnataka State Finance Corporation (KSFC) and the representatives of all sick industries of Dakshina Kannada soon, with a view to revive the sick units, particularly the small and medium scale industries.
“Many industries in the district have been closed due to heavy debts. The meeting will be aimed at chalking out the ways through which the sick units can be made debt-free and revived,” he said and added that discussions with the KSFC and banks will help the industries to join the mainstream once again.
Mr Shetty was speaking at an interactive meeting organised by Kanara Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI) at the Chamber auditorium in Bunder on Monday, earlier to which he received a felicitation.
He said the government was mulling over introducing a single window system for departmental clearance towards starting any industry.
Dredging
The minister said the dredging of small ports on the coastal belt would be commenced soon with the equal share of State and the Centre, and the process was on tendering stage. The third phase of the development of Mangalore port will be carried out with an expenditure of Rs 30 crore, while similar works will be done at Malpe harbour also, he said.
PWD Minister H D Revanna will dedicate the revived Gangolli port on August 24, and in the meantime he will lay foundation stone for another harbour to be developed at a cost of Rs 2.25 crore, Mr Shetty informed.
Health, education
Casualties centres and intensive care units (ICU) will be established at four different places of the district. A sum of Rs 2.25 crore has been released for the upgradation of Bantwal primary health centre into a 100-bed fulfledged hospital, he stated.
Stating that though the district has been developed into a health and education hub, the law and order problem here stands as a negative remark, Mr Shetty said more attention should be given to retain the tag of the district as a peace-loving region.
Dress code
He further added that plans are there to introduce dress code and mobile prohibition in the educational institutions across the district.
He said he had spoken to certain leading commercial banks and software companies to donate computers to certain government schools which were lacking the same till date.
River linking
Expressing his opposition towards ‘Netravathi river diversion project’, the minister said he would rather support the ‘Pashchimavahini Yojane’ of Mr A G Kodgi through which the rivers of the west would be linked with the view of maximum utilisation of natural water.
He also said if the district got sufficient water for its use, the remaining water could be given for other districts too.
Mr Shetty also said the New Mangalore Port Trust need to give importance to general cargo too. KCCI President Capt John Prasad Menezes and other office bearers were present.