Grant-in-aid resumes

Primary and Secondary Education Minister Vishweshwara Hegde Kageri on Friday said the government had resumed sanctioning grant-in-aid to education institutions that were established between 1991-92 and 1994-2005 in the State.

Chief Minister D V Sadananda Gowda had approved to sanction grant-in-aid to about 1,950 institutions. The government will incur an additional expenditure of about Rs 200 crore because of the decision, he added.

The government had in 2008-09 budget announced to accord grant-in-aid to all institutions that were established between 1987 and 1994-95. After sanctioning grant-in-aid to about 1,000 institutions (those established till 1991), the government, however, put the process under suspension owing to floods in north Karnataka and slump in 2009.

Now the State finances are sound, and hence it has been decided to start the process again. Both teaching and non-teaching staff will be benefitted, he added. 

Staff members of these institutions had been staging hunger strike in Dharwad for nearly two months, demanding grant-in-aid.