Revanna stresses on need to empower education

Girls hostel to accommodate 162 students inaugurated

Janata Dal (Secular) MLA H D Revanna said more than 46 taluks in the state had no first grade colleges and many even lacked pre-university colleges.

After inaugurating a girls hostel of the Vokkaligara Sangha here on Sunday, he said the education system in the country had not been empowered even after so many years of Independence. “If JD(S) assumes power in the coming elections, education would get priority.”

Many students from not so financially sound background who secure 90 per cent in pre-university examinations couldn’ aspire to study engineering, which may force them to pursue some other courses. “Hostels would be of great help to such students from economically backward communities,” he added.

He said, the hostel has a capacity for just 160 students, which should be expanded to house more students.

The sangha has taken up similar projects in Hassan and Kolar, it should be extended to other districts also.  Every taluk should have a free hostel for the benefit of students belonging to poor families.

“The Karnataka Housing Board should join hands with such sanghas to construct hostels and the Mysore Urban Development Authority should allot sites for such purposes rather than giving them to politicians.”

After unveiling the bust of Kuvempu on the hostel premises, chairman of Karnataka Housing Board G T Devegowda recalled that ex-chief minister D V Sadananda Gowda had alloted 15 acres of land for Vokkaligara Sangha.

No CM from Vokkaliga community was corrupt, including H D Deve  Gowda, S M Krishna, H D Kumaraswamy and D V Sadananda Gowda, he said.

Seer of Adichunchanagiri branch mutt Sri Somanatheshwara Swamiji, president of the sangha B Kenchappa Gowda, vice-chancellor of Karnataka State Open University K S Rangappa, writer C P Krishna Kumar, MLAs M Satyanarayana, H S Shanakarelinge Gowda and Sa Ra Mahesh, MUDA chairman L Nagendra, president of Mysore Chamarajanagar District Credit Cooperative Bank C Basavegowda, Karnataka Exhibition Authority chairman B P Manjunath and others were present.
Paralympian Girisha was presented a cheque for Rs one lakh.

Ex-vice-chancellor of Kuvempu University K Chidananda Gowda and Kannada professor at St Philomena College M Krishne Gowda were felicitated, while parents of Olympian Vikas Gowda and national Hockey player V R Raghu Nandan received the honours in their absentia.

The two-storeyed hostel has 42 rooms and would accommodate 162 students. The hostel, with a huge dining hall for 300 persons, also has a library, an auditorium with a 100-seat capacity, a television room and rest area.

Each room is furnished with wardrobes, study tables, chairs and cots.
Speaking to Deccan Herald, one of the members of the sangh Nanje Gowda said the hostel provides admissions to needy girls pursuing any course in the city after screening their family’s economic background and  an interview.