Karwar: To preserve specific habitats, the budget has proposed to set up the state’s first marine eco-park in Uttara Kannada district. As the district, which is one of the eco-sensitive zones, is a home for many rare species and endangered habitats. The announcement is a novel move by the government to preserve specific habitats.

This apart, the budget has proposed to invite bids for development of pavinkurve and belekeri ports in the district under public-private partnership model with an expenditure of Rs.2500 crore. The development of ports in the district is a long-pending demand of people of north Karnataka region, who can access ports in import and export goods. The budgets has also allocated Rs. 4 crore to modernize the fishing port in Karwar.

It appears to be a pleasing budget for the fishermen community as chief minister B S Yediyurappa has allocated a huge sum of money for development of ports from Bhatkal to Karwar in Uttara Kannada district.

 As the district has been witnessing agitation by fishermen community against the proposed sagarmala project, which aims at modernizing ports, the state government seems to have taken up a strategy to appease the fishermen with sops like gifting 1000 gearless vehicles to fisherwomen. A sum of Rs.5 crore has allocated for the purpose. A sum of Rs.1.5 crore has been earmarked to modernize the fishing technology under ‘Karnataka matsya vikas yojana’

The state government with an intention to tap excess water that flows into the sea has decided to tap the river waters by constructing several vented dams. Yediyurappa in his budget has also reduced the interest by amount 5% on long term loans availed by arecanut cultivators through various co-operative societies. To provide value addition as well as to ensure the improvement of post-harvest management of horticulture crops in the district, the state government has decided to set up 5000 cold storages along with private parties. A sum of Rs.75 crore has been allocated for the purpose.