State varsities to have Ambedkar chairs

The State government has decided to set up Ambedkar studies chairs in several universities of the State.

With a corpus of Rs 50 lakh, each of these Chairs will be set up under the joint funding of the Dr Ambedkar Foundation, a Central government-sponsored body and the State government.

A decision to this effect has been taken by the general body of the Ambedkar Foundation in the presence of Union Minister for Social Justice and Empowerment Mallikarjun Kharge and Minister for Social Welfare H Anjaneya. 

Speaking to reporters, Anjaneya said that the State will also set up the B R Ambedkar International Centre at a cost of Rs 185 crore.

The Centre to be equipped with state-of-the-art facilities, will promote research works in the field of Ambedkar studies. It will have a library, a convention centre and a publishing centre for books.

Kharge said that the Foundation will give Rs 60 crore as grants to the State for these facilities.