Chief Minister Siddaramaiah inaugurated the Karnataka State Rural Development and Panchayat Raj University, functioning for now from the old district administration building, here on Thursday.
He said it was one of the prime projects of the government aimed at empowering rural people through education.
This new higher educational institution, dedicated to the cause of rural development and panchayat raj, will help in research and development, he said, and asked university to conduct studies into issues concerning rural people, and suggest solutions.
Emphasising the need for inculcating Gandhian values, Mr. Siddaramaiah said the top priority for the Father of the Nation was rural development and making the villages self-sustained.
Jawaharlal Nehru wanted every village to have a school, a panchayat and a cooperative society, he said, and expressed confidence that this university, which is one of a kind, will go a long way in contributing to rural development and strengthening the panchayat raj system.
Rural Development and Panchayat Raj Minister H.K. Patil said the university has the larger goal of rejuvenating the village system by focusing on issues concerning the rural life, agriculture and rural industries.
The university will produce trained people with a sense of dedication to strive for the development of rural areas. The government has provided 400 acres of land and ₹169 crore to construct the new building, he said.
University vice-chancellor B. Thimme Gowda, veteran journalist Patil Puttappa and others were present.
Later, Mr. Siddaramaiah performed the ground-breaking ceremony of the new university building at Nagavi Gudda here.
