25% more admissions to BCM hostels in Karnataka: Kota Srinivas Poojary

Minister for social welfare and backward classes Kota Srinivas Poojary said that the Karnataka government will make 25% more admissions to the BCM hostels in the state to meet the demands of students.

There are 2,449 backward classes hostels in the state. In spite of it, around 1.20 lakh students from backward classes have been waiting for hostel facilities in the state. They have been benefited under 'Vidyasiri' scheme in the state.

However, the beneficiaries of the Vidyasiri scheme have been demanding hostel facilities as the amount given under Vidyasiri is not sufficient for their day to day expenses. With 25 per cent more admissions in the hostels, about 21,000 students will be provided accommodation in hostels, wherever possible, the minister said.

Further, the minister said that that 50 hostels in the name of saint-poet Kanakadasa, 100 hostels named after Dr B R Ambedkar and hostels in the name of Deen Dayal which can accommodate 1,000 students each will be set up in five urban areas in the state. As the construction of buildings for Deen Dayal hostels will be delayed, it has been decided to use rented buildings to accommodate 500 students each to start the hostel facilities during the year.

Various schemes for the welfare of backward classes by the backward classes department that remained suspended due to pandemic in the last two years will be restarted again this year, Poojary said. Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai has already given permission for reintroducing all the schemes that remained suspended for the last two years.