Mangaluru (The Hindu): Work on sports policy for Karnataka has already started, says Minister. Minister of State for Fisheries, Sports and Youth Services Pramod Madhwaraj on Saturday said that he is working with his counterparts in other States and the Union government towards bringing out a fishing policy at the national level.

Mr. Madhwaraj was speaking at a felicitation programme, organised by the Dakshina Kannada district Mogaveera associations here, on becoming a Minister in the recent Cabinet reshuffle. He is the first Minister from the Mogaveera community to become a Minister of State for Fisheries.

The Minister said that the proposed policy could not be restricted to Karnataka alone as unlike the geographical borders, the ocean does not have any physical border. Hence, the policy should be at the national level to benefit the entire fishing community.

As the Minister in-charge of Sports and Youth Services Department, his aim was to bring into place a sports policy for the State, the work for which has already been started by a committee, Mr. Madhwaraj added.

The Minister said that he would attempt to solve the issue of a proper fish market at Mangaluru working closely with the local legislators and other public representatives.

He had been hearing about the problems ever since he became the president of Meenugarara Mahasabha.

Outlining his journey in public life, Mr. Madhwaraj said that he is indebted to the fishing community for his present position as the community has been supporting him for a long time. He would earnestly work to the fullest of his strength to address various issues concerning the community, he assured.

At the same time, Mr. Madhwaraj said, he was elected with a big margin of 40,000 votes from Udupi Legislative Assembly constituency.

People from all sections of society, including those supporting the BJP, had voted him. He would not discriminate between communities while working as a people’s representative, he claimed.

In this background, he would make all efforts to bring maximum possible funds from the State and Union governments to undivided Dakshina Kannada district for the overall development of the region, Mr. Madhwaraj said.

Inaugurating the programme, Udupi Shamili Trust Chairman and community leader G. Shankar urged the Mogaveera community to get united.

He said community unity has become all the more important these days when politics is being done on community lines.

Moodbidri Alva’s Education Foundation Chairman M. Mohan Alva commended the fishing community of the coastal districts for its contribution to the growth of the region.

Chief Whip in the Legislative Council Ivan D’Souza, MLAs K. Abhayachandra Jain, J.R. Lobo and Mohiuddin Bava and others were present.