Daijiworld Media Network – Mangaluru (NJC)
Mangaluru, Sep 7: NRI entrepreneur and philanthropist Dr Ronald Colaco has called for the formation of a ‘Coastal Development Task Force’ to accelerate the development of the undivided Dakshina Kannada district, comprising Dakshina Kannada and Udupi districts.
He was delivering the keynote address at the silver jubilee celebrations of the Jayashree Krishna Parisara Premi Samiti held at the Town Hall in Mangaluru.
Dr Colaco said coastal Karnataka possesses enormous potential for development, with its beaches, islands, educational institutions, medical colleges and hospitals, nationalised banks, and rich historical and cultural heritage. However, despite these advantages, the region has not developed to its expected potential.
“We have not even utilised 10 per cent of the development potential of our coastal region. We have failed to make use of the opportunities available to us,” he said.
He stressed the need for a long-term development vision spanning the next 50 to 100 years and urged the government to take the initiative in establishing a dedicated Coastal Development Task Force.
According to Dr Colaco, the task force should comprise positive-minded government officials, environmental experts and representatives from different sections of society. He said development and environmental protection should go hand in hand, while environmental concerns surrounding industrial projects should be addressed through proper dialogue and awareness.
He also called for creating a favourable environment to attract major national and international investments to coastal Karnataka. He offered his full cooperation in studying successful development models followed in other countries.
Referring to chief minister D K Shivakumar’s interest in development, Dr Colaco urged people to rise above political differences and work collectively for the progress of the coastal region.
Sharing his experience of running businesses in eight countries over the past 51 years, he said entrepreneurs receive considerable encouragement to establish businesses abroad, whereas in India, investors often face difficulties while dealing with multiple government departments.
“The government must put an end to entrepreneurs having to run from one department to another,” he said, adding that delays and lack of coordination could discourage investors from bringing their investments to the coastal region.