Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai announced free education for government Pre-University and government degree colleges students under the ‘CM Vidya Shakti Scheme’ to enable all children who pass out of high school to continue higher education. This will benefit around eight lakh students of the State.
The education sector got the highest share of allocation with ₹37,960 crore (12%) in the Budget.
‘Makkala Bus’
In the State, around 19 lakh school and college students depend on public bus service for education. The Chief Minister has proposed to launch ‘Makkala Bus’ scheme through which an additional 1,000 buses will be operated through Karnataka Road Transport Corporations at a cost of ₹100 crore.
Better infrastructure
To provide better basic amenities and proper learning resources to the children, the new Centrally-sponsored scheme ‘PM SHRI’ will be implemented at the cost of ₹100 crore. A grant of ₹100 crore will be provided for the construction of new schools in 23 taluks which do not have Karnataka Public Schools and for the development of functional 46 schools. The government also allocated ₹80 crore for construction of 5,581 toilets in schools.
To encourage scientific temper and inquisitiveness in the students, “Srushti” tinkering laboratories will be established in 73 Karnataka Public Schools and 50 Adarsha Vidyalayas. To inculcate interest and awareness about current affairs, strengthening of libraries and establishment of reading corners will be undertaken by providing books, newspapers, and periodicals in 24,347 schools.
Abhyudaya
A new scheme ‘Abhyudaya’ will be launched in association with J-PAL for taking up supplementary teaching to students of class 8 and 9 with an aim to improve the results of SSLC. To eliminate language barriers in obtaining higher education and to enable writing the exams in all universities and professional courses of Karnataka in Kannada language also, action will be initiated to translate widely-used reference books and syllabus within the next one year, the Chief Minister announced.
‘Halli Muthu’
Under “Halli Muthu” scheme, the entire fee will be borne by Karnataka Examinations Authority for 500 excellent students who have completed their school education in rural government Kannada medium schools and have been selected for professional courses in government quota through CET.
