Mangaluru : Thrust will be laid on temple, beach tourism in Dakshina Kannada and Udupi districts,” Minister Kota Srinivas Poojary emphasised on Thursday.

He spoke after being felicitated at the BJP district office on Thursday and said a delegation comprising elected representatives from the districts had met Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa recently and discussed the development of both the coastal districts.

“The government will focus on the implementation of Smart City project, improvement of tourism and protecting the interests of fishermen. The chief minister also promised to recommend to the Centre release of a special compensation package to the families of fishermen on the missing Suvarna Tribhuja boat,” said Kota.

The minister said that of the total 6.5 crore population in the state, four crore people had been affected by the recent floods.

“There has been house and crop loss. Elected representatives have been visiting the flood-affected regions, as per the chief minister’s directions,” he added.

Stating that he had been given the responsibility of both districts, Kota also congratulated MP Nalin Kumar Kateel on being appointed BJP state president, saying the move would strengthen the party.

“Coming from a humble background, Kota was elected as a gram panchayat member in 1993, taluk panchayat member in 1996 and zilla panchayat member. Kota also served in the cooperative sector. In 2006, he went on to become the member of the Legislative Council. In 2013, he became a minister in the state cabinet for the first time and then the leader of Opposition in the Council in 2018,” former MLA Yogish Bhat said, adding that Kota is also a writer.