Udupi: District minister Rizwan Arshad said he will convene a meeting on Nov 3 (Tuesday) on the delay in inaugurating the new district hospital, even as MLA Yashpal Suvarna warned of a protest.Arshad said he will discuss the issue with UT Health Minister Khader and decide on inaugurating the building. He responded to media queries about the new 250-bed, six-storey hospital, built at a cost of crores of rupees, that has not been inaugurated despite major civil works being completed in 2023.“I will inspect the building and later will discuss the matter with the health minister in Bengaluru. I am also convening a meeting in Bengaluru with the deputy commissioner, senior district officials, and public representatives. We will discuss and reach a decision. The health minister also hails from the coastal region, so he is well aware of the issues,” said the civil supplies minister.The inauguration date can be confirmed only after the meeting. “It would not be right to state anything here right now. I will consult the health minister and senior officials of the health department, and we will inform everyone shortly,” he said.Uniform policy for District Rajyotsava AwardsResponding to a query on the stalling of the Udupi District Rajyotsava Awards, the minister said only one or two districts hold the award ceremonies at the district level, while most others have stopped the practice. Hence, a uniform policy across the state is needed. “I will discuss the matter with the Kannada and culture department. This year, after holding consultations, we will decide how the awards should be implemented uniformly across the state and what procedures need to be followed,” he said.To prevent lobbying and external interference, the minister said clear criteria would be laid down for the selection process, including the constitution of selection committees. Selections should not be influenced by political considerations or other external pressures. He would discuss the matter with Kannada and culture minister Shivaraj Tangadagi, he said.The minister also expressed concern over the exclusion of a doctor from Udupi, whose name was reportedly replaced in the list of State Rajyotsava Award recipients.“I am not aware of what transpired. I learned about it only after arriving here. I will speak to minister Tangadagi about the matter,” he said.Milk price riseOn the hike in Nandini milk price, Rizwan said farmers’ demands and their livelihoods must also be considered. “If you compare us with Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, and Tamil Nadu, our rates are still lower. If we had not revised this, our farmers would have started supplying milk to neighbouring states,” he said.
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