The Karnataka government has committed to releasing ₹10 crore for the development of the Aleri site in Belthangady and for a genealogical study of the Adi Dravida community in coastal Karnataka, state Social Welfare Minister K.H. Muniyappa said during an interaction with community leaders in Bengaluru on Thursday.
According to the minister, Aleri has historical significance and should be developed not only as a religious site but also as a community centre. The proposed funding is expected to support basic infrastructure, including a training centre and a community hall.
Muniyappa said the government would release funds after receiving a detailed project report. He also said suitable financial support would be provided for purchasing land for the site. The announcement places responsibility on the concerned representatives to prepare and submit the project details before the proposed infrastructure work can move forward.
The minister also announced funding for a genealogical study of the coastal Adi Dravida community through the Dr B.R. Ambedkar Research Centre. The study is intended to document the community’s history and background, according to the report.
Community leaders also raised the issue of DC Manna land, which they said had been the subject of a three-and-a-half-decade-long struggle. They told the minister that land distribution had been promised in the election manifesto. Muniyappa said immediate directions would be issued to the deputy commissioners of the undivided Dakshina Kannada district regarding the distribution of DC Manna land.
In a separate commitment linked to Aleri, the minister said funds would be released to establish a Dr B.R. Ambedkar Study Centre at the site. The announcement therefore combines a proposed physical development programme with community research and land-related administrative action.
The commitments were made during a meeting at the Dr B.R. Ambedkar Bhavan in Bengaluru attended by representatives and leaders of the Adi Dravida community. Those present included KPCC general secretary Rakshit Shivaram, Mithun Rai, Sulya Congress leader G. Krishnappa, Adi Dravida Samaja Seva Sangha state president Ganesh Prasad Moodbidri and former Dakshina Kannada Zilla Panchayat member Shekhar Kukkedi, among others.
The next formal step identified by the minister is the preparation and submission of a detailed project report for Aleri. The government’s proposed funding, land purchase support and directions on DC Manna land distribution will require further administrative action before implementation can begin.