From Our Special Correspondent
Daijiworld Media Network - Bangalore

Bangalore, Feb 22: With Karnataka Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa, who is also in charge of the finance portfolio, presenting the State’s annual budget for the year 2011-12 on Thursday morning, ruling BJP MLA Basavaraj Patil Attur has urged the Government to sanction aa sum of Rs. 100 crore for establishment of the proposed Basaveshwara University at Basavakalyan in Bidar district.

Attur, who represents the Basavakalyan constituency and was a former minister, complimented the Chief Minister for his decision to establish the Basaveshwara University and demanded that the proposed university must be set up in Basavakalyan, the birthplace of the 12th Century social reformer.

The former minister pointed out that Yeddyurappa dropped the proposal for renaming the existing Gulbarga university after Basaveshwara and establishing a new university.

He pointed out that the Government had been spending Rs. 50 lakh to hold the Basava Utsav every year and a large number of development works had been taken up at the Basavakalyan. Earlier, there was a demand to name the Gulbarga University after Basaveshwara.

The MLA demanded sanction of Rs. 25 crore in the 2011-12 budget for the Basavakalyan Development Authority headed by S M Jaamdar.

Basaveshwara had set up the Anubhava Mantap at Basavakalyan to spread the Sharana movement as well. Basavakalyan was also the cradle of the Sharana sahitya movement.

All the restoration work at Basavakalyan, where Basaveshwara began his social reformation during the 12th century, were nearing completion, Attur said.

1500 Lecturers to be recruited

Meanwhile, Higher Education Minister Dr V S Acharya, who separately spoke to reporters on the eve of the State Legsislature Session, indicated that the government has decided to fill 1500 lecturers’ posts in various Government degree colleges across the State.

He said a proposal to fill vacant teaching posts in Government colleges has been submitted to the Finance Department. To tap the meritorious candidates, recruitment process would be completed in five phases with selection of 300 candidates in each phase.

The Karnataka Public Service Commission (KPSC) would be asked to conduct the recruitment, he said pointing out that the government was against sanction of new government college in this year and the focus would be on improving the quality of education through better infrastructure.

A total of 17 government colleges have admitted students less than 50 and a decision has been taken to shift students of these colleges to nearby colleges in the next academic year. Only 13 and 19 students were studying in government colleges in Hassan and Holenarasipura, he said.

The department had received proposal from 19 private colleges seeking grant-in-aid from the government and proposals are under consideration, he said.

On the demand for payment of University Grant Commission pay-scale to college teachers, Dr Acharya said the UGC had not released its share of Rs. 856 crore to the State. The Government would ready to pay the scale if the UGC released the amount soon. The government has to share 20 per cent of the burden, he said.

The Government was ready to hold talks with the private managements of engineering colleges in the State on seat sharing, the minister said adding: the matter related to seat sharing and fee structure was before the Supreme Court and is expected to come up for hearing on February 25.