'Saffron present in national flag, nothing wrong in saffronising education': Karnataka CM 

KALABURAGI: Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai has found nothing wrong in saffronising the education system and launching the construction of new classrooms in the State in the name of ‘ Vivek Shala Kothadigala Nirmana’.

Speaking with reporters at Madiyal Thanda of Kalaburagi taluk before launching the construction work of 7601 classrooms, the Chief Minister asked, "What is wrong with saffronising the education system when the saffron colour is in the National flag?"

Defending giving the name of ‘Vivek’ for the construction of new classrooms in the State, Bommai said that the intention of the government is that the students sitting in the classroom get good knowledge (Vivek) and should remember the name of the great saint Swami Vivekanand. What is wrong (in this), he asked and said it has become the habit of opposition parties to find faults in everything.  

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Later, launching the scheme of ‘Vivek Shala Kothadigala Nirmana’ Scheme in the programme organized at Madiyal Thanda, Bommai said that it is for the first time in the history of Karnataka that launching a scheme of construction of 7601 classrooms in the State is being taken up on the same day in 224 Assembly Constituencies of the State.

Our government aims to construct 8000 classrooms in one year and it should continue for two more years with the same target of 8000 classrooms per year. After a period of three years, the need for new classrooms would be almost fulfilled, he said.

The Chief Minister said that in Kalyana Karnataka Region, the work of construction of 1060 classrooms under this scheme has been sanctioned and within a day or two the government will sanction the construction of another 900 classrooms in the region for this year.

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He said that the government has given sanction for the appointment of 15000 teachers in the state including 5000 teachers in the Kalyana Karnataka Region this year.

The Chief Minister also said that the government has sanctioned Rs 250 crores for the construction of toilets in all government schools including separate toilets for girls. All schools should have toilets by August 15 next year, he said.

The Chief Minister defended the decision of introducing Yoga in schools from the next academic year. "Yoga will help in increasing concentration and will help in having good health. The children can learn well only if they are healthy," Bommai added. Education minister B. C. Nagesh also spoke on the occasion.