Latest news with #KPSs
Time of India
22-07-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
MLA has midday meal with kids during surprise visit
Mangaluru: Puttur MLA Ashok Kumar Rai on Tuesday conducted a surprise visit to the Dakshina Kannada Zilla Panchayat Higher Primary School in Parladka to ensure that children are given quality food under the Midday Meal scheme of the state govt. The MLA, after visiting the kitchen and other facilities, ate meals with the children sitting on the floor. "I selected this school for a surprise visit to check and ensure that children are given quality food as per the govt's direction under the Akshara Dasoha initiative. The main purpose of my surprise visit was to see what kind of food schools provide for children for mid-day meals. I selected this school randomly, to see whether they use vegetables and distribute eggs to children. I not only saw the kitchen facility, but also ate lunch with the children. I am satisfied with the quality of food the school served," he said, and suggested that the school should improve the quality and taste further. "As a people's representative, people question the MLA first if the quality of food in schools is not up to the mark. When MLAs conduct surprise visits to schools and hostels to check the food quality, the authorities will also become more responsible," he said, adding that he will continue surprise visits to other schools too. The MLA said that the govt has sanctioned five Karnataka Public Schools (KPS) for the Puttur constituency. Each KPS will be built at an estimated cost of Rs 7-8 crore. The govt will also provide buses for KPSs, he added.
The Hindu
31-05-2025
- Business
- The Hindu
Nodal officers to monitor CSR-funded public schools; ‘diversion' of corporate funds flagged
The State government has appointed nodal officers to coordinate and expedite the construction of CSR-funded Karnataka Public Schools (KPSs), following a review of the progress of the schools and their funding. Commissioner for Industrial Development Gunjan Krishna has been appointed as the coordinating officer, and Karnataka State Industrial Infrastructure Development Corporation managing director Khushboo G. Chowdhary has been appointed as the CEO. The two officers will work with various corporates to mobilise CSR funds for the KPSs. Slow progress The decision to appoint nodal officers was taken in view of the slow progress in setting up 2,000 KPSs in the State. Earlier, Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar expressed unhappiness over slow progress in the construction of KPSs in the State and diversion of funds to NGOs in other States. He pulled up the Deputy Commissioners and zilla panchayat CEOs during a meeting to review the progress of KPSs. 'CSR funds to the tune of ₹8,000 crore are available in the State. We had given clear instructions two years ago that CSR funds of corporates must be used to build KPSs. It has come to our notice that some corporates from the State are allocating CSR funds to some NGOs in other States and taking back 50% of that amount in cash. This is resulting in a loss for the State. It is our responsibility to use it for building the schools here,' he said. 'Branding' schools 'The corporates need not give the government any funds, they can build a school and hand it over to the government. The government can even provide land and building designs. The corporates can even brand the schools in their name,' he said. 'We are building 13 CSR KPSs in my constituency, and each of these schools costs anywhere between ₹9 crore and ₹12 crore. The work on the schools is progressing well only in some regions, while there is negligence in other regions,' he said. Mr. Shivakumar urged the district administration to write letters to corporates in their districts and hold a meeting to discuss the construction of schools using their CSR funds. 'Set a target to build one model public school in every taluk and based on that feedback, set a target to build one school for three gram panchayats,' he told the Deputy Commissioners and zilla panchayat CEOs. 'I have instructed the Bengaluru Deputy Commissioner and zilla panchayat CEO to call a meeting of all corporates in their jurisdiction and discuss the allocation of CSR funds. Similarly, district administrations must hold meetings with corporates,' he said, adding that he would take regular progress reports from now on.
