Proposal to upgrade CDA to be mooted in assembly: Min

Mangaluru: Minister of planning and statistics D Sudhakar, who is also the chairman of the Coastal Development Authority (CDA), said that a proposal to upgrade the CDA into a board will be mooted during the upcoming assembly session.
The minister conducted a review of the CDA at the deputy commissioner’s office on Saturday, in the presence of MLCs Manjunath Bhandary and Harish Kumar, and top officials.He told reporters that once the proposal is passed in the assembly, then a framework will be put in place, so that the CDA’s purpose is understood. He told officials to stop spending funds on roads and vehicle purchases, as there are other departments to look into the issue. “This is my first visit, and we will look into all aspects that need to be given prominence. Development works will be taken up on the PPT model, and the focus will be on providing facilities for women fishers, building foot and hanging bridges and setting up dry fish curing yards, rather than spending money on road construction and the purchase of vehicles,” he said. It may be recalled that the Congress party in its coastal-specific manifesto, announced a Karavali Development Authority (KDA) for the coastal districts, with an annual budget of Rs 2,500 crore.
Pradeep D’Souza, secretary, CDA, said that the authority was formed to solve the issue of basic facilities, and implement plans in the three districts of Dakshina Kannada, Udupi and Uttara Kannada. There is a demand to set up 350 footbridges in these districts, and about six hanging bridges. MLC Manjunath Bhandary said that guidelines should be formed, and officials must understand the purpose of setting up the CDA. “There are other departments to look into roadworks and sanctioning of vehicles. Officials must ensure that there is overlap among departments when project works are undertaken,” he added.