Foundation stone for girls hostel laid at Kodialbail

The foundation stone for the construction of the pre-matric and post-matric girls’ hostel at Kodialbail, was laid at a programme held at Dakshina Kannada Zilla Panchayat’s Netravathi Hall on Monday. The 114th birth anniversary of former deputy prime minister late Babu Jagjivan Ram, a pioneer of the Green Revolution, was also observed on the occasion.

The hostel is being constructed at a cost of Rs 9.85 crore. The pre-matric hostel can accommodate 150 students while the post-matric one will accommodate 100 students. The construction work has been entrusted to Karnataka Vasathi Shikshana Samsthegala Sangha. The three-storied hostel, to be built in a plinth area of 3,097.63 sqft, will have a dining hall, the warden’s room, a special room for sick students and a storeroom along with rooms for the students.

Each floor of the hostel will accommodate 40 students in the post-matric hostel while 52 students in the pre-matric hostel. The hostel will have a borewell, and other facilities.

On the occasion, Deputy Commissioner Dr Rajendra K V urged the youth to draw inspiration from the illustrious life of Babu Jagjivan Ram to cross obstacles in life and reach heights of success.

He urged the younger generation to face challenges with confidence. “We have to follow the path laid down by great personalities in life,” Zilla Panchayat chief executive officer Dr Kumar said.

The ideals and accomplishments of Babu Jagjivan Ram will continue to inspire generations to come, he added.

Dr Kumar said everyone should emulate his principles and recollected his achievements, including the Green Revolution and labour laws, which he introduced as a labour minister.

“He was not only a pioneer of the Green Revolution but also an epitome of social justice,” he added.

University First Grade College principal Dr Dayananda Naik said that the green revolution, introduced by Babu Jagjivan Ram, had laid the foundation for the en masse production of food grains in the country.

“Babu Jagjivan Ram had a great concern for democracy and had opposed emergency in the country. He had laid the foundation for the Ministry of Social Justice. His birth anniversary is observed as ‘Equality Day’ or the ‘Samata Diwas’ to commemorate his fight against caste discrimination. Banaras Hindu University in 2007 had set up Babu Jagjivan Ram Chair in the faculty of Social Sciences to study economic backwardness and caste discrimination. He continues to remain in the hearts and minds of the people of India because of his altruistic activities.”

MLA Vedavyasa Kamath, Mayor Premananda Shetty, Zilla Panchayat president Meenakshi Shanthigodu and others were present at the event.