Chief Minister Siddaramaiah said on Monday that the government would support Mangalore University’s plans to establish a postgraduate centre at Belapu in Udupi district. He was speaking after laying the foundation stone of the Advanced Science Research Centre of Mangalore University at Belapu in Udupi district.
Mr. Siddaramaiah said that the university should start taking steps to establish the centre. The estimated cost of the centre was Rs. 141.30 crore and the government had released Rs. 15 crore. The Union government too was expected to release funds for the centre.
He said that the coastal region was blessed with rich flora, some of which were on the verge of extinction. It was everyone’s responsibility to protect this flora and the centre should attract scientists from India and abroad for research.
He hoped that the centre, when fully constructed and operational, would make its mark globally. It would also help in the development of the coastal region, he added. He said that the State Government was committed to providing quality education to children of all classes. Education should not become the exclusive preserve of one or few classes. “Education is a tool for eradicating social and economic inequality,” Mr. Siddaramaiah said.
K. Byrappa, Vice-Chancellor of Mangalore University, presided over the function. Vinay Kumar Sorake, Urban Development Minister, M.B. Patil, Major and Medium Irrigation Minister, Oscar Fernandes, MP, Moideen Baava, Pramod Madhwaraj, MLAs, Ivan D'Souza, MLC, Vimala Anchan, President of Belapu Gram Panchayat, C.S. Yadpadithaya, Registrar of the University, were present.
