Mangaluru, Sept 2026 : The Karnataka government on Friday announced the recognition of Tulu as the state’s second additional administrative language, initiated the process of renaming Dakshina Kannada district as Mangaluru district and approved development projects worth Rs 32,611 crore for the coastal region.
The decisions were taken at a special Cabinet meeting held in Mangaluru, the first such meeting outside Bengaluru. Addressing the media along with his Cabinet colleagues, Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar said the government had unanimously decided to recognise Tulu as an additional administrative language in Dakshina Kannada and Udupi districts.
Shivakumar said the decision fulfilled a long-standing demand from Tulu-speaking communities, organisations and elected representatives for official recognition of the language.
“Tulu is spoken prominently in the coastal districts. We will not discuss why the previous government did not take this decision. We will not do politics based on emotions,” the Chief Minister said.
He stressed that the government’s focus would remain on strengthening the social and economic empowerment of people rather than engaging in emotional politics. Shivakumar said society could not be built on emotions alone and that the government would concentrate on measures aimed at improving people’s social and economic opportunities.
He added that, if required, the Cabinet would examine the legal and economic framework related to the implementation of the decision and hold further discussions on issues requiring attention.
“This is Team Karnataka. The Cabinet is with you,” Shivakumar said while announcing that Tulu would be declared the state’s second additional administrative language, with its use limited to Udupi and Dakshina Kannada districts.
The Chief Minister recalled that former minister Ramanath Rai had first raised the demand for recognising Tulu as the second additional language. He also credited Puttur MLA Ashok Kumar Rai and other elected representatives for pursuing the issue and congratulated all those who had contributed to the recognition of the language.
Recalling the sentiments associated with Tulu in the coastal region, Shivakumar said Ashok Kumar Rai had raised the language issue as his first question in the Legislative Assembly after becoming an MLA.
“I was surprised. His first sentiment was for the language. Today, he has secured approval for a Rs 500-crore medical college, but that is a different matter,” Shivakumar said.
Process to Rename Dakshina Kannada
The Cabinet also decided to initiate the process of changing the name of Dakshina Kannada district to Mangaluru district.
Shivakumar said the government would first issue a draft notification and invite public suggestions and objections for one month. A final decision would be taken after completing the prescribed procedure and considering the views received from the public.
“People recognise Mangaluru at the international level. People have expressed their wish in this regard. We have to follow the prescribed procedure and take the opinion of the people,” he said.
Rs 32,611 Crore Coastal Development Package
On development in coastal Karnataka, Shivakumar said the Cabinet had approved projects worth Rs 32,611 crore, including Rs 16,000 crore for rural development.
As part of the tourism and coastal development push, the government also approved the development of 12 islands spread across Mangaluru, Udupi and Karwar districts. The initiative aims to position the coastal belt as a global tourism destination by leveraging its coastline, natural resources and cultural heritage.
The Cabinet further approved a new Coastal and Malnad Karnataka Tourism Policy. Under the policy, tourism projects will be treated as infrastructure projects, while investors will receive greater support, including provisions for longer loan repayment periods.
The government also plans to establish a Fisheries and Blue Economy University in the region. The intake at the existing fisheries college will be increased from 60 to 200 seats.
Another major decision was approval for a medical college in Puttur at an estimated cost of Rs 549 crore. The Chief Minister said the projects were aimed at strengthening infrastructure, creating employment opportunities and promoting economic activity across the coastal region.
Shivakumar said holding the Cabinet meeting in Mangaluru marked an important step in taking the government’s decision-making process beyond Bengaluru.
Asked whether Cabinet meetings would also be organised in other parts of the state, he said the government planned to conduct meetings at 10 to 12 locations over the next 15 months.
“Cabinet meetings will be held wherever there is the capacity and a need,” he said, adding that the broader objective was to build an integrated and prosperous Karnataka.
