In a special meeting held in Mangaluru, the Karnataka Cabinet, chaired by Chief Minister D. K. Shivakumar, approved three landmark decisions that will reshape the state’s linguistic and developmental landscape. The first was the recognition of Tulu as the second additional administrative language, limited to Dakshina Kannada and Udupi districts. The second was the renaming of Dakshina Kannada district to Mangaluru district. The third was the green‑light for Rs 32,611 crore worth of coastal development projects, including Rs 16,000 crore earmarked for rural development.
Shivakumar said the Tulu decision follows decades of agitation by Tulu‑speaking people, organisations and elected representatives, and that the move is about empowering communities rather than politics. He recalled that former minister Ramanath Rai first raised the demand, and that MLA Ashok Kumar Rai pushed the issue in the Assembly.
The renaming will proceed through a draft notification, followed by a one‑month public consultation period, Shivakumar explained. He added that the name Mangaluru already enjoys international recognition and that the process will respect the prescribed procedure.
On coastal development, the cabinet approved Rs 32,611 crore of projects, including the development of 12 islands across Mangaluru, Udupi and Karwar, a new Fisheries and Blue Economy University, a Rs 549 crore medical college in Puttur, and a Coastal and Malnad Karnataka Tourism Policy that treats tourism projects as infrastructure.
Shivakumar also announced that the cabinet will hold meetings at 10 to 12 locations over the next 15 months, a first since the capital. He said the aim is to build an integrated and prosperous Karnataka.