Udupi: The Higher Education and Tourism Minister R V Deshpande said that, to facilitate easy access to the government Polytechnics, 122 admission centres have been set up across the State; so far there were only 45.
He was speaking after the inauguration of the new Government Polytechnic building at Shivalli, built at the cost of Rs 8 crores. He added that the aim of the Congress led state government is to give more importance to education for the poor and rural children.
He further said that government colleges have to fight with the private ones with regards to basic infrastructural facilities. So the State government has also released Rs 26 crore to facilitate the basic infrastructural facilities such as labs and instruments to 10 government run engineering colleges in State.
The minister also declared that further 55 lakhs will be released for equipment in laboratories for the new building of the government polytechnic in Manipal, for installing interlocks, constructing a storm water drain, a compound wall and for providing drinking water facility.
The new building is constructed on a five acre land. It is a three storied building and there is one separate workshop block adjacent to the main building. The girls and boys hostel is built in the neighbourhood at the cost of Rs 1 crore with the fund being released by the ministry of Human Resource Development under the central government scheme and the work is completed. There are as many as 441 students in the present year.
While speaking to media regarding the controversy on Yoga, the minister said that Yoga has nothing to do with religious sentiments, it is for good health. Only money is not enough, physical and mental health is more important in life. Yoga is an exercise, which leads to good health. It is not a matter to argue and it is not compulsory to implement it in life. Central government has taken some decision and it should be supported.
Regarding cabinet reshuffle, he said the decision will be taken entirely by CM. He also said that the CM doesn’t grade the performance of the ministers and MLAs, rather the public will do that he added.
