×
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT

Military boys' hostel opens to lukewarm response

Last Updated 20 June 2011, 17:33 IST
ADVERTISEMENT

The first ever Military Boys’ Hostel made a start here on Monday, but on a sad note, thanks to the lukewarm response, though the facility is offered free of cost.

The hostel built on the premises of the office of deputy director of Sainik Welfare and Resettlement Board near deputy commissioner’s office, has only six inmates against the actual capacity to accommodate 25 students.

Incidentally, similar is the situation at Bijapur where too, the hostel has opened doors from the current academic year.

When contacted an officer on condition of anonymity told Deccan Herald that lack of publicity or the set image in the mind of the people, about similar facilities offered by the government, may be the reason for most to stay away far from utilising the same.

Result pathetic

Whenever the rallies were conducted to note grievances of ex-servicemen, wide publicity to draw students to the hostel was the main agenda. However, the end result is pathetic.

The hostel commissioned to the Mysore district in 2008 became a reality at the end of 2010, at an estimated cost of Rs 40 lakh including furnishing and allied works. It has three dormitories and separate facility for recreation combined with library.
It was on April 13, 2011, Kamalabai Prahlad Rao Muthgikar dedicated the facility.

Kamalabai is the mother of slain second lieutenant Ashok Muthgikar, a Mysorean.
The officer, was in his early 20s when he sacrificed his life in ‘Cactus- Lilly’ war (Indo-Pak war) in 1971. His mother has promised books to the library in the hostel, the officer added.

As is the criteria, it is only open for the children of ex-servicemen, from soldier to junior commissioned officers (JCO), of the State. Children studying from fifth standard to 12th, PUC or diploma are only eligible to be housed in the hostel. They can study in any of the schools or colleges in the city.

Lion’s share

According to the records available at the department, there are 3,600 ex-servicemen comprising Mysore, Mandya and Chamarajanagar districts alone. Though Mysore has a lion share among them, the response is still poor.

Of the six who have been admitted, four are from Kodagu district, followed by one each from Kundapur and Hinkal here. Another parent has collected the application, but is yet to respond. To facilitate late comers, the time for admission has been extended by a month. That apart, the issue has been brought to the notice of Zilla Panchayat, chief executive officer G Satyavathi to refer the students if any, fulfilling the criteria. He exuded confidence that the numbers may increase gradually.

The State has five such hostels in Athani, Karwar, Belgaum, Mysore and Bijapur for boys and exclusively for girls in Dharwad.

ADVERTISEMENT
(Published 20 June 2011, 17:33 IST)

Follow us on

ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT