Mangaluru: The Department of Tourism has sanctioned four yatri nivas projects to Mangalore (erstwhile Ullal) Assembly constituency, according to U.T. Khader, Minister for Food and Public Distribution.

Addressing presspersons here on Friday, he said that they would be built near Sayed Madani Dargah and St. Sebastian Church in Ullal, the Somanath Temple in Someshwar and near Manjanady Dargah.

The yatri nivas would have at least six rooms and their construction cost would vary between ₹50 lakh and ₹70 lakh.

Mr. Khader said that a yatri nivas built near Mudipu church was opened recently.

He said that the Veerarani Abbakka Cultural Festival scheduled at Mysuru on January 9 and January 10 could not be organised as Chief Minister Siddaramaiah was on a State tour.

The same festival would now be organised for two days in Mysuru from February 10.

There would be literary sessions and kavi gosti. Food cwould be served to about 25,000 persons a day. The government would release ₹8 lakh for the festival.

After Mysuru, the festival will be organised in Delhi either in the last week of February or in the first week of March.

The same festival would be organised at Kolya, near Ullal for two days from February 3.

A committee has selected writer Sara Aboobacker and actor Vinaya Prasad for this year’s Veera Rani Abbakka Award which comprised ₹30,000 in cash, a citation and a memento. It would be presented to them in the valedictory of the festival on February 4 at Kolya.

Ms. Aboobacker has written 10 novels, eight collection of stories and has translated seven works. Her noted novel Chandragiriya Teeradalli has been translated into seven languages. Mangalore University and Karnataka Women University have honoured her with their honorary doctorates.

Ms. Prasad has acted in over 250 fiilms n Kannada, Tulu, Malayalam and Telugu. In addition she has acted in television serials.