Write Comment     |     E-Mail To a Friend     |     Facebook     |     Twitter     |     Print

MANGALORE: The Veera Rani Abbakka Utsava Samiti has urged the state government to make budgetary provision for annual conduct of Abbakka Utsava at Ullal near here. Now into its 10th edition, has been held in fits and starts. The utsav was first held in 1996-97 with assistance from donors. Striving to make this a permanent annual event in order to perpetuate the memory of a warrior queen who took on the Portuguese, the samiti is seeking state patronage.

The samiti is receiving financial assistance from the state government for past three years. While the state government through the department of Kannada and culture released Rs 25 lakh each in the first two years, it enhanced the amount to Rs 30 lakh last year.

However, this requires a lot of follow up with ministers and officials concerned in Bangalore, said K Jayaram Shetty, former MLA and chairman of the reception committee of the utsava here on Monday.

Jayaram told reporters that if the utsava is included in the state budget, it will help in annual release of funds for the event as a matter of routine. The government has made similar budgetary provisions for other major festivals across Karnataka, he said. adding that the samiti’s consistent effort to get state funding for it materialised after BJP came to power and thanks is due to former CM B S Yeddyurappa and his successor for the same.

The samiti has also reaffirmed its demand that the Mangalore International Airport be named after Veera Rani Abbakka. "We have written letters to the state government, district administration and even Airports Authority of India," he said, adding authorities concerned are yet to take a decision on their demand.

"If no decision is forthcoming with regard to the demand, the samiti will take recourse to agitations in the days to come," he added.

On the issue of construction of a Abbakka Bhavan, he said the land has been identified near Thokkottu bus stand. Although the samiti wanted at least one acre of land, the administration has allotted around 50 cents of land, he said, adding that the state government too has released half of the Rs 2 crore sanctioned for the project. "We will need at least Rs 4 crore more to make this bhavan fully functional and as envisaged by the local leaders," he said.