Mangaluru: The Karnataka government on Friday approved Tulu as the state’s second additional administrative language alongside Kannada, with the decision applicable to Dakshina Kannada and Udupi districts. The Cabinet also initiated the process to rename Dakshina Kannada district as Mangaluru and approved development projects worth Rs 32,611 crore for the coastal region.
The decisions were taken at a special Cabinet meeting held in Mangaluru, the first time the Karnataka Cabinet met outside Bengaluru. Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar said the decision to recognise Tulu followed a long-standing demand from Tulu-speaking people, organisations and public representatives.
Tulu Gets Additional Administrative Language Status
Shivakumar said Tulu would be recognised as an additional administrative language in Dakshina Kannada (Mangaluru) and Udupi districts. He said the government would focus on strengthening the social and economic empowerment of people rather than engaging in what he described as emotional politics.
The Chief Minister recalled that former minister Ramanath Rai had first raised the demand to declare Tulu as the second additional language. He also credited Puttur MLA Ashok Kumar Rai and other elected representatives for pursuing the demand.
The government’s decision is limited to administrative use in the two coastal districts. The state has also been pursuing wider recognition for Tulu, including demands for its inclusion in the Eighth Schedule of the Constitution.
Dakshina Kannada Renaming Process Begins
The Cabinet also decided to begin the process of changing the name of Dakshina Kannada district to Mangaluru district. Shivakumar said the government would issue a draft notification and invite public opinion and objections for one month before taking a final decision.
He said Mangaluru is widely recognised internationally and that people in the region had expressed their wish for the district to be renamed, but the prescribed procedure would have to be followed before a final decision.
Rs 32,611 Crore Coastal Development Package Approved
On coastal development, Shivakumar said the Cabinet approved projects worth Rs 32,611 crore, including Rs 16,000 crore for rural development. The government also approved the development of 12 islands in Mangaluru, Udupi and Karwar districts with the aim of turning the coastal region into a global tourism hub.
A new Coastal and Malnad Karnataka Tourism Policy was also approved. Under the policy, tourism projects will be treated as infrastructure projects, with greater support for investors, including extended loan repayment periods.
The region will also establish a Fisheries and Blue Economy University, while the intake at the existing fisheries college will be increased from 60 to 200 seats. The Cabinet additionally approved a medical college in Puttur at a cost of Rs 549 crore.
Shivakumar said the government plans to hold Cabinet meetings at 10 to 12 locations over the next 15 months, depending on the capacity and needs of different districts, with the broader objective of building an integrated and prosperous Karnataka.