Dakshina Kannada: An educational hub with uneducated representatives

coastaldigest.com web desk
April 29, 2018

Mangaluru, Apr 29: Karnataka’s coastal district of Dakshina Kannada is known as a the district of intelligent people. It has the highest literacy rate. Besides this is the educational hub of south India. Ironically, many of the elected representatives of this district are school dropouts. BJP leader Nalin Kumar Kateel, who represents the district in the parliament, has not studied beyond Class 10. However, he managed to defeat Congress veteran Janardhana Poojary, who holds B.Com and LLB degrees, twice.

*U T Khader, J R Lobo and Ramanath Rai are the only three graduates among the eight sitting MLAs of DK

*School dropout S Angara (BJP) defeated MBBS graduate Dr Raghu (Congress) twice in Sullia Assembly constituency

*BJP leader Nalin Kumar Kateel, who studied up to Class 10 defeated Congress veteran B Janardhana Poojary (B.Com, LLB) twice in Lok Sabha polls

Only three of the eight sitting MLAs in the district hold bachelor degrees. U T Khader, Minister for Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs, who represents Mangaluru (Ullal) constituency in the Assembly, is an LLB gradate. He is also perusing master degree in Kannada literature in an open university.  

J R Lobo, a former state civil servant, who represents Mangaluru City South in the Assembly, holds BSc and B Ed degrees. B Ramanath Rai, Minister for Forest, Ecology and Environment, and MLA from Bantwal constituency, is a BA graduate. 

K Abhayachandra Jain, the MLA from Mulki-Moodbidri constituency, has completed diploma in automobile (diesel mechanic). Vasanth Bangera, the MLA from Belthangady constituency, has completed Pre-University course.

Shakuntala Shetty, the former BJP leader, who won from the Puttur constituency on a Congress ticket in the last assembly polls, bid goodbye to education after completing Class 10. 

B A Mohiuddin Bava, the MLA from the Mangaluru City North, hasn’t completed SSLC. Interestingly, he is the brother of JD(S) leader B M Farookh, who holds a bachelor degree in engineering and a master degree in business administration. 

S Angara, the MLA from Sullia, who is also the lone BJP legislator in entire district, is a Class IX dropout. He has twice defeated Congress candidate Dr Rahgu, who is an MBBS gradate.

Comments

Arun
 - 
Sunday, 29 Apr 2018

Mangaloreans are literate, not educated.

M J Frank
 - 
Sunday, 29 Apr 2018

BJP is anyway a Bhararatiya Agnan Party. But what happened to Congress? Why feilding undeducated candidates? 

Manku Thimma
 - 
Sunday, 29 Apr 2018

hahaha. That's why this kateel wanted to arson his own constituency!

Ajit Salian
 - 
Sunday, 29 Apr 2018

Need not to go to college to become MP of Dakshina Kannada. Delivering provocative speeches like Kateel is more than enough. Buddhivanthe people of DK will vote.

Ibraai IPS
 - 
Sunday, 29 Apr 2018

Baavaka endo paadil saale kaida aakyo?

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News Network
November 22,2025

Mangaluru: Police Commissioner Sudheer Kumar Reddy C H has warned of strict action against individuals spreading rumours and attempting to create insecurity within the Muslim community and fuel hatred between Hindus and Muslims through social media.

Referring to a recent social media post alleging that police personnel had entered a masjid premises to check whether beef was being cooked, the commissioner said miscreants were attempting to push their communal agenda. 

“A group of people, both from Mangaluru and abroad, are trying hard to spread rumours. For the past 10 days, they have been attempting to rake up old issues, highlight routine matters as controversies, or fabricate news altogether,” he said.

He reiterated that any such attempts to disturb communal harmony would invite legal action. “Cases will be registered and the accused will be brought to book,” he stated.

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News Network
November 22,2025

The Karnataka government has announced a 50% rebate on pending traffic and transport fines. The discount is available from November 21 to December 12.

The rebate applies to all traffic e-challans and violation cases booked by the RTO between 1991–92 and 2019–20. Officials clarified that the offer is not applicable to pending tax dues and is restricted only to traffic-violation fines.

Across Karnataka, more than 4 lakh RTO cases remain pending, including those involving transport vehicles. While thousands of vehicle owners have already cleared their dues, the department expects to generate substantial revenue through this limited-period rebate.

How to Pay and Avail the Discount

There are three ways to check and pay your pending fines:

1. Through Mobile Apps
Available on both Play Store and App Store:
•    Karnataka State Police (KSP) app
•    KarnatakaOne app
•    ASTraM app

Steps:
•    Enter your vehicle number in any of the above apps
•    Verify the photo/details of your vehicle
•    Pay the fine with the 50% discount applied

2. Visit a Traffic Police Station

You can pay your pending fine at any nearby traffic police station.

3. Visit the Traffic Management Centre (TMC)

•    Location: First Floor, Infantry Road, near Indian Express, Bengaluru

Transport Commissioner Yogeesh A M said, “We don't issue e-challans, so there's no online payment system.”

The department estimates ₹52 crore in pending RTO fines up to March 2020. “With the 50% rebate, we expect to collect around ₹25 crore if all dues are cleared,” he added.

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News Network
November 28,2025

ministerPM.jpg

Mangaluru, Nov 28: Karnataka Health Minister and Dakshina Kannada district in-charge minister Dinesh Gundu Rao on Friday handed over Chief Minister Siddaramaiah’s letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, highlighting the severe distress faced by farmers due to crashing crop prices.

PM Modi arrived at the Mangaluru International Airport en route to Udupi, where Gundu Rao welcomed him and submitted the letter. The chief minister’s message stressed that farmers are suffering heavy losses because maize and green gram are being bought far below the Minimum Support Price (MSP). The state urged the Centre to immediately begin procurement at MSP.

According to the letter, Karnataka has a bumper harvest this year—over 54.74 lakh metric tons of maize and 1.98 lakh metric tons of green gram—yet farmers are unable to secure fair prices. Against the MSP of ₹2,400/MT for maize and ₹8,768/MT for green gram, market rates have plunged to ₹1,600–₹1,800 and ₹5,400 respectively.

The chief minister has requested the Centre to:

• Direct NAFED, FCI and NCCF to start MSP procurement immediately.
• Ensure ethanol units purchase maize directly from farmers or FPOs.
• Increase Karnataka’s ethanol allocation, citing high production capacity.
• Stop maize imports, which have depressed domestic prices.
• Relax quality norms for green gram, allowing up to 10% discoloration due to rains.

The letter stresses that MSP is crucial for farmer dignity and income stability and calls for swift central intervention to prevent a deepening crisis.

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