BENGALURU: Members of the state Legislative Council lambasted the Finance Department after it rejected the proposal to admit 114 private schools and colleges to grant-in-aid amid claims by Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai that the state’s finances are sound.
Kannada medium schools which started between 1986-87 to 1994-95 have been continuously run and should be admitted to the grant in aid, insisted BJP’s Puttanna, JDS’ Marithibbe Gowda and Congress’ Nagaraj Yadav.
They gathered in the well of the House to protest and pointed out that the exchequer will have to shell out only Rs 26.76 crore more annually.
Another BJP member S V Sankanuru also blasted the department as it was an insult to Bommai.“It will be a face loss for BJP if we fail to admit the institutions for the grant in aid and safeguard the interests of 547 staff including teachers and 29 clerks,” said Puttanna.
“The department should be taken to task as it has betrayed budgetary promise,” said BJP’s chief whip YA Narayanaswamy.
Members Bojegowda, leader of opposition BK Hariprasad, Minister BC Nagesh and the leader of the House Kota Srinivas Poojary promised they will take up the issue with Bommai. In its order on January 19, 2023, the department had said that since the government has been spending over Rs 1,800 crore for the salaries of aided schools and college staff, there might be a revenue deficit and financial crunch, and rejected the proposal.
No proposal regarding sattvic diet: Nagesh
“Government is committed to implementing moral education in schools but there are no proposals regarding the distribution of sattvic diet,” clarified Primary and Secondary Education Minister BC Nagesh, adding that eggs will be distributed as the same has shown positive results in addressing malnutrition among the children in select districts.