Karnataka to pay Rs 131 crore for SC/ST tuition fees

December 22, 2013

Bangalore, Dec 22: Social welfare department will pay Rs 131 crore towards tuition fees of SC/ST students since 2004, who had paid the entire amount during their study days in professional courses.

Briefing reporters, Social Welfare Minister H?Anjaneya said successive governments had failed to pay tuition fees to engineering and medical colleges.

“As a result, several SC/ST students had paid the entire fee by selling their properties or taking loans from banks and other financial institutions. The Rs 131 crore is now being given back to these students,” he said. It is said as many as 2.15 lakh students will benefit from this.

The hostel facility for students of SC/ST population studying in professional colleges will be up and running by the beginning of next year. Anjaneya said the department has already decided to take buildings on rent for the purpose of hostel facilties in places where there is lack of space to construct a new one.

He said the government will be spending Rs 12 crore towards this by having these hostels in every district across the State.

Meanwhile, keeping in line with AHINDA policies of the government, the department has increased the stipend of nomadic children who are pursuing post-10th standard studies in the State. Accordingly, the stipend has been increased from Rs 750 to Rs 1,500 per month.

Further, Anjaneya said the government is also ensuring that all 6,104 students who are registered by the government and identified as being nomad will be given hostel facility. This facility will be given, over and above 20,000 students who were to receive hostel facilties in the State to pursue higher studies.

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QR-code tips power Mangaluru's major drug bust: 25 arrested in 2 weeks

News Network

December 16,2025

Mangaluru, Dec 16: The Mangaluru City police have significantly escalated their campaign against drug trafficking, arresting 25 individuals and booking 12 cases under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act between November 30 and December 13. The crackdown resulted in the seizure of a substantial quantity of illicit substances, including 685.6 grams of MDMA and 1.5 kg of ganja.

The success of this recent drive has been significantly boosted by the city’s innovative, QR code-based anonymous reporting system.

"The anonymous reporting system has received an encouraging response. Several recent arrests were made based on inputs received through this system, helping police tighten the noose around drug peddlers," said the City Police Commissioner.

The latest arrests contribute to a robust year-to-date record, underscoring the police's relentless commitment to combating the drug menace.

Up to December 14 this year, the police have registered a total of 107 cases of drug peddling, leading to the arrest of 219 peddlers. Furthermore, they have booked 562 cases of drug consumption, resulting in the arrest of 671 individuals.

The scale of the seizure for the year reflects the magnitude of the problem being tackled: police have seized 320.6 kg of ganja worth ₹88.7 lakh and 1.4 kg of MDMA valued at ₹1.2 crore. Other significant seizures include hydro-weed ganja worth ₹94.7 lakh and cocaine worth ₹1.9 lakh, among others.

The Commissioner emphasized a policy of rigorous enforcement: "We ensure that peddlers are caught red-handed so that they cannot later dispute the case or claim innocence."

To counter the rising trend of substance abuse among youth, the Mangaluru City police have rolled out uniform guidelines for random drug testing across educational institutions.

As part of the drive, tests were conducted in approximately 100 institutions, screening an estimated 5,500 to 6,000 students in the first phase. 20 students tested positive for drug consumption during the initial screening.

Students who tested positive have been provided counselling and are scheduled for re-testing in the second quarter. The testing will also be expanded to students not covered in the first phase. In a move to ensure strict implementation, police personnel were deployed in mufti in some institutions. Reiterating a zero-tolerance stance, the Commissioner confirmed that random testing will continue, and colleges have also been instructed to conduct drug tests at the time of admission to deter substance abuse from an early stage.

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