A CLOSE LOOK: Industries Minister Katta Subramanya Naidu and Higher Education Minister D.H. Shankaramurthy inspecting laboratory equipment after the inauguration of Post Graduate Biotechnology Research Centre at the Government Science College in Bang alore on Tuesday. — Photo: V. Sreenivasa Murthy

BANGALORE: The State Government's vocational education policy will benefit one lakh unemployed youth, while its skill development programme proposed with the collaboration of central agencies and the private sector will boost the employment potential of another one lakh youth, Industries Minister Katta Subramanya Naidu said here on Tuesday.

Speaking at a function organised to inaugurate a Post Graduate Biotechnology Research Centre at the Government Science College, Mr. Naidu said the State was generating trained human resources required for the planned industrialisation of all the district headquarters and two-tier cities.

He said the State Government had increased the number of lower fee category professional seats from 10,000 to 20,000 this year, bearing a subsidy burden of Rs. 24 crore. Besides, 224 new schools, 74 first grade colleges and two medical colleges started this year reflected its commitment to bring revolutionary changes in the education sector, he said.

On the infrastructure development front, Mr. Naidu said the Government proposed to build 10-lane roads up to 724 km, besides eight elevated roads for Bangalore. It was in the process of upgrading and setting up new buildings for Bowring and Victoria hospitals.

Plea to improve college

Principal of the Government Science College T. Gangadaraiah urged the Government to improve the college's infrastructure. The college had only 10 classrooms for 1,500 students and no separate buildings for the Biotechnology, Microbiology and Mathematics Research Centres. It also lacked a good library building and an auditorium, he said, seeking the sanction of at least two postgraduate courses — a MCA and a Biotechnology course for the college.

Higher Education Minister D.H. Shankaramurthy said the Government had allocated Rs. 49 crore to complete half-built college buildings in its budget, and the Government Science College could be a beneficiary.

Noted Kannada poet and a retired teacher of the college Nissar Ahmed was felicitated on the occasion. Mr. Ahmed recalled his days in the college and wished that the principal could have asked for more benefits for the college from the Government.

"If you ask for a battle tank, you might get a rifle. But if you ask only for a rifle, you would have to settle for a bullet," he said.

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