The Dakshina Kannada district unit of Communist Party of India (Marxist) on Tuesday urged the Karnataka government to announce people-centric growth policy and comprehensive development of the coastal region in the September 18 Cabinet meeting to be held in Mangaluru.

CPI(M) district committee secretary Muneer Katipalla told reporters that the messages coming from the government with regard to tourism development through public-private partnership mode and investment were cause for worry. Instead of involving the common man and the youth in development activities, the government was going for corporate culture, which was not a welcome move.

Mr. Katipalla said while the coastal districts, home to enterprising and hard-working educated and intelligent people, have not achieved the development they should have. Even the benefits of the achieved growth did not reach all the communities. There has been rampant migration of workers, traders, and contractors from North India to coastal districts, while the educated youth from the region were migrating to distant cities, the Gulf, and European cities due to severe lack of job opportunities. This cross migration was going on uncontrollably, leading to social crisis.

Therefore, the government through the Cabinet meeting in Mangaluru, should make serious efforts to address these issues and focus on healthcare, education, employment and housing to the common man in the region, he said. Also, focus should be on agri and marine-based industries, opportunities for the local youth in the development works etc. The party, Mr. Katipalla said, would take out a procession from Naguri to Praja Soudha in Padil at 9.30 a.m. on September 18 to submit its demands to the government.

Some of the important demands of the CPI(M) include opening branches of Kidwai Memorial Institute of Oncology, Jayadeva Institute of Cardiovascular Sciences and Research and NIMHANS in Mangaluru and providing taluk hospitals at all new taluks; abandon PPP mode in coastal tourism policy; prioritise opening coastal agriculture and marine based industries; addressing problems being faced in fishing sector; employment of local people in industries and businesses; proper to study cross migration and measures to prevent the same; welfare scheme for non-resident Kannadigas who contribute substantially to local economy; easy availability of sand and laterite stone for the construction sector; housing to the needy; regulating private educational institutes and opening government institutes of higher education; and declaring Tulu as the official language.