From Our Special Correspondent
Daijiworld Media Network

Bengaluru, Aug 20: The State Government has decided to increase the strength of all backward class students hostels by 25% and 2,439 hostels will be benefitted, Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai said in Bengaluru on Saturday.

He said the stipends of the backward class students has been increased by Rs 150 each.

Construction of as many as 195 student hostels was under various stages of progress, Bommai said pointing out that the government will be constructing 50 new hostels under the name of Kanakadasa.

The Chief Minister said multi-storeyed residential quarters are being constructed in the 5 educational centres in the State and the government was keen to increase the capacity of the inmates to 5,000 under the scheme.

Bommai said Ph.D. scholars are provided with a total grant of Rs 4 crore under the Devaraj Urs scheme and Rs 10 crore additional grant is being release towards payments of stipend to students studying abroad.

The State Government will be starting four new schools under the name of Sri Narayana Guru at a cost of Rs 30 crore each while Rs 800 crore additional grant has been provided to the Backward Classes Development Corporation.

The Chief Minister said the government has accorded greater priority for education, employment and empowerment and taken concerted efforts to encourage rural youth and women through the Stree Shakti Sanghas.

CM, BSY at BJP meet

Later, the Chief Minister participated in the State BJP office meeting along with former Chief Minister and newly appointed BJP Central Parliamentary Board member B S Yediyurappa.

The meeting was convened to discuss with the defeated BJP candidates on ways to strengthen the party.

State BJP President Nalin Kumar Kateel and State BJP Organising Secretary Rajesh and others attended the meeting.