Deputy Commissioner of Dharwad Gurudatta Hegde has said that while the administration is making all-out efforts to ensure the development of Dharwad as a brand, support and cooperation of the general public and organisations are vital.
Speaking at a Meet-the-Press organised by the Dharwad Journalist Guild in Dharwad on Friday, he said that amid several challenges on the development front, Dharwad district has a high potential to emerge as a harbinger of education, a cultural zone and also a tourism hub.
Referring to the influx of students into Dharwad from across North Karnataka, he said that several career coaching centres have been concentrated in one area leading to congestion and other problems and the administration has planned to shift these centres to other areas where HDUDA sites are available. This apart, necessary steps will also be taken for the safety of girl students in the city, he said.
The administration has selected places having potential for tourism, including Neerasagar, Nuggikeri Anjaneya Temple, Sadhankeri, the birthplace of the Shalmala, for development.
A proposal to declare Dharwad as a special cultural zone has already been sent to the government. As Dharwad is the centre of Hindustani music and to give a fillip to the cultural essence of the city by attracting more youngsters to take music as a career, special projects will be designed. This apart, a Kalagrama project will be chalked out, he said.
On agents ruling the roost in the Revenue Department, the Deputy Commissioner said that the online process of filling up applications for various government works has been implemented and sensitisation programmes are being conducted to help rural residents use online applications.
Administration complex
The Deputy Commissioner said that a proposal for the construction of a new administration complex is likely to get approval of the State Cabinet shortly.
“Three places have been identified for the construction of a new administration complex which will house all the government offices in one complex. The estimated cost of the project is ₹100 crore,” he said.
