Minister for Women and Child Development and Udupi district in-charge Lakshmi Hebbalkar at the quarterly Karnataka Development Programme at Rajatadri, district office complex in Manipal-Udupi on Saturday.
| Photo Credit: UMESH S. SHETTIGAR
Minister for Women and Child Development and Udupi district in-charge Lakshmi Hebbalkar on Saturday, May 15, directed officials concerned to complete the pending 45 works to repair government educational institutions’ buildings in the district before the onset of the monsoon.Chairing the quarterly Karnataka Development Programme meeting at Rajatadri, the district office complex in Manipal, Ms. Hebbalkar said the government had sanctioned ₹430 crore to execute 186 different works for repairing government schools and colleges in the district. However, 45 works have remained incomplete, she said, directing them to be completed immediately.Healthcare servicesResponding to the MLA of Byndoor, Gururaj Gantihole’s, complaint of inefficient services by ambulances in the district, she said that of the 18 ambulances, 16 were functional in the district. When the district health and family welfare officer responded that it was because of the State-wide issue of shortage of drivers and nurses, Ms. Hebbalkar chided him for not bringing the issue to her notice. “Get the personnel on outsource and make the service fully functional,” she told the official.To the MLA of Karkala, V. Sunil Kumar’s, complaint of the non-availability of gynaecologists in Karkala Taluk Hospital, Ms. Hebbalkar directed the DHO to arrange specialists in association with private medical colleges if no government specialist was available. Mr. Kumar said earlier that nearly 126 deliveries were performed in the hospital, and the numbers have dwindled to 4-6 because of the unavailability of the specialist.Monsoon preparationsThe Minister further instructed officials to ensure that common people do not suffer due to heavy rainfall during the monsoon and that all necessary precautionary measures should be taken to prevent loss of life and any other harm to humans and livestock. Ms. Hebbalkar directed agriculture department officials to ensure that sufficient quantities of fertilisers and seeds were available before the Khariff cultivation begins with the monsoon onset.Regretting that 3,652 files were still pending to issue Hakku Patras for house sites sanctioned, as data entry was not done, Ms. Hebbalkar directed officials to complete the work on priority. She asked the Deputy Commissioner to hold weekly review meetings with Tahsildars to expedite the issue and ensure that at least 500 people get the Hakku Patras during her next visit to the district. She also asked the Deputy Commissioner and forest department officials to expedite joint surveys to demarcate forest, deemed forest, and revenue lands. Published - May 16, 2026 08:10 pm IST
