The state government has decided to set up 92 new ITIs across the state, conceding the demands of elected representatives, including the Chief Minister. The lion’s share of the new ITIs were sanctioned on the recommendations of members of the Congress. Only six institutes were sanctioned on the recommendations of Opposition legislators. While four ITIs — all in Mysore district — were sanctioned on the recommendations of the CM, nine institutions were sanctioned by the Labour Minister himself, a majority of them in his home district of Bellary.
In the list of the new ITIs which have been sanctioned by the government and expected to come up in the next academic year, only two recommendations made by members of the Legislative Council were approved by the Labour Ministry.
While Higher Education Minister R V Deshpande and Rural Development Minister H K Patil had three ITIs sanctioned, Minor Irrigation Minister Shivaraj Tangadagi, Textile Minister Baburao Chinchansur and Co-operation Minister H S Mahadeva Prasad secured two each.
PWD Minister H C Mahadevappa, Urban Development Minister Vinaya Kumar Sorake, Medical Education Minister Sharanaka Prakash Patil, IT Minister S R Patil, Kannada and Culture Minister Umashree, Sugar Minister Prakash B Hukkeri, Health Minister U T Khader, Information Minister Santhosh Lad and Revenue Minister V Srinivas Prasad got one ITI sanctioned each at their desired places.
BJP MLC Amarnath Patil said he was unaware of the move to sanction new ITIs and had made no recommendations. Patil said he will submit a few requests to the minister.
He also plans to raise the issue at the Belgaum session of Legislature.
The recommendations made by Speaker Kagodu Thimmappa for an ITI at Kargal in Sagar and Council Chairman D H Shankaramurthy at Kalasapura in Chikmagalur district also got the nod of the Ministry. According to recommendations of CM Siddaramaiah, new government ITIs would come up at Beerahundi, Varuna, K R Nagar and Jayapura in Mysore district, while Kumata, Ramanagaram and Khanapur will have new ITIs according to the wishes of the Higher Education Minister.
Labour Minister P T Parameshwara Naik said the new colleges were sanctioned taking into consideration backwardness of the taluks. “The list released today is not a final one and it can be modified and new places added,” he added.
He said the department will release Rs 10-15 lakh to each ITI to equip themselves to admit candidates for the next year.