The quarterly meeting of the District Development Coordination and Monitoring Committee (Disha) for 2026-27 was held at Suvarna Vidhana Soudha on Tuesday. MPs Jagadish Shettar, Priyanka Jarkiholi, and Rajya Sabha member Iranna Kadadi participated in the discussions. Key topics included drinking water and drought management, monsoon preparedness, agricultural activities, supply of seeds and fertilisers, basic amenities in schools, and student enrolment in government schools.
Jal Jeevan Mission Implementation
Presiding over the meeting, MP Jagadish Shettar emphasized the effective implementation of the Centre’s flagship Jal Jeevan Mission, which aims to provide tap water to every rural household. He stated that if any assistance from the Centre is required, submitting a proper proposal would facilitate meetings with the concerned minister. Officials noted that delays in central funding have hindered project implementation and urged steps to release funds to accelerate execution.
Education and School Initiatives
Leelavati Hiremath and RS Seetaram, deputy directors of school education and literacy, reported that 40 PM SHRI schools have been established in the district. Demand for these schools has increased even in rural areas. Shettar stressed the need to improve student performance in the district, citing Udupi and Mangaluru as top performers in academic results and education quality. He also called for timely completion of Smart City projects and early distribution of certificates under e-assets.
Supply Chain and Stock Monitoring
Shettar was informed to review stocks of cooking oil and petrol to ensure no shortages in the district. Rajya Sabha MP Iranna Kadadi highlighted that several new programmes under the VB-G Ram-G schemes have been implemented and should be widely publicised. He also emphasized that works under the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak and Grampath schemes should be carried out according to the needs of respective taluks.
Drinking Water and Agriculture
Zilla panchayat CEO Rahul Shinde stated that various programmes have been formulated to improve the district’s educational standards. He urged banks to conduct campaigns at the hobli level to raise awareness about loans and facilities under state and central schemes. Arrangements have been made to drill 22 borewells in the Chikodi area to provide water to villages facing scarcity, and a plan for a permanent solution to the drinking water crisis has been prepared. Horticulture department joint director Mahantesh Murgod noted that due to lack of rainfall, sowing has been limited.
ADC Vijayakumar Honakeri, DCP Narayana Bharamani, BCC commissioner M Kartik, agriculture department joint director HD Kolekar, and officials from various departments attended the meeting.
