CM promises all help to D'gere varsity

He was speaking after inaugurating the Davangere University officially, after two years of its formation, at a function organised at the Shivagangotri campus near Tolahunase on the outskirts of the city on Thursday. 

The road connecting the university to Davangere, off the Birur-Davangere State highway, would be developed on a priority. A sum of Rs 250 crore had been earmarked for the Birur-Channagiri-Davangere road under KSHIP project. The work will be taken up after completion of the tender process, he said.

He said the State government had already released Rs 16 crore for the Davangere varsity under various schemes of the government. The university, which is providing education to more than 50,000 students in central Karnataka, would be developed as a knowledge hub of the region.

Noting that the State government was committed to the promotion of higher education, the chief minister said the BJP government had provided Rs 12,000 crore for education, of which Rs 2,356 crore was exclusively for the higher education sector.

Speaking on the occasion, former chief minister B S Yeddyurappa said he worked honestly for the promotion of higher education when he was the chief minister. He pointed out that 11 universities were opened during his tenure.

Recruitment soon

Presiding over the function, Higher Education Minister Dr V S Acharya announced that recruitment of the required teaching staff and non-teaching staff would be approved shortly. There is a proposal to appoint more than 100 teaching staff on a permanent basis to the 20 post-graduate departments of the varsity.

The minister appreciated the efforts of Vice-chancellor Indumathi for conducting classes, conducting examinations and evaluation and other activities for over 50,000 students with just the permanent 18 faculty presently serving, besides the 100 guest faculty members, which is a challenging task.

The next budget would provide the required funds for upgrading the varsity, he said.

Taralabalu Mutt seer Shivamurthy Shivacharya, Vice-chancellor Indumathi, District In-charge Minister S A Ravindranath, Excise Minster M P Renukacharya, MP G M Siddeshwara and others were present.

We erred in leaving Bellary to Reddys: CM

Chief Minister D V Sadananda Gowda said on Thursday that the BJP had realised its mistake in leaving Bellary district under the control of the Reddy brothers and Sriramulu. He faced criticism from the people for his failure to implement development programmes and for neglecting the Bellary Rural Assembly constituency, which he represented, Gowda said.

He was speaking to reporters at Tolahunase on the outskirts of the city, before the inauguration of the Davangere University.

“An amount of Rs 1,000 crore was released for the development of Bellary district, but many areas in the district remain underdeveloped. Sriramulu is facing revolt from the people. Bellary is no more the fiefdom of the Reddys. There is no hope for the Congress nominee as people have rejected the party outrightly,” said the chief minister.

Sadananda Gowda said that the State had submitted a proposal to the Centre seeking its share of Rs 800 crore for drought relief works.