Primary and secondary education bagged the lion’s share, at Rs8,830 crore.
Education was the head that got the highest allocation in the state budget this year. Primary and secondary education bagged the lion’s share, at Rs8,830 crore. Higher education was allocated Rs1,675 crore. Education has seen a 25% increase in allocation when compared to that of last year.
Officials from both the higher and primary education departments said that 60% of the allocated amount routinely went towards salaries. However, AS Srikanth, principal secretary, department of higher education, said, “It is not that most of the amount will be utilised for paying salaries. That expense is part of basic infrastructure requirement, and is usually considered when sending proposals prior to the finalisation of the budget.”
Has higher education been shortchanged? No, nearly 95% of the proposals submitted prior to the budget have been taken care of, said Srikanth. “We have got almost all the things we had requested. However, the setting up of a Belgaum University and a Janapada University was not considered.”
Education experts welcomed the scheme for free and compulsory education till class 10. The number of children who are out of school or have dropped out rose to 1,08,542 from 35,000 in 2009; this scheme is expected to bring those children back to school. Experts also appreciated the Rs100 crore allocation for basic facilities like drinking water and toilets at government schools and PU colleges.
Health care experts, however, were not so enthused. Health care and medical education has been allocated Rs2,673 crore, Rs833 crore higher than last year. Rs100 crore has been allotted for the construction and upgrading of health care institutes, including 142 taluk hospitals, which are to be made referral hospitals.
The government plans to recruit 5,021 paramedical staff for health care institutions at various levels. “The government should recruit more specialists for taluk hospitals, referral hospitals and community health centres. There should be at least nephrology and cardiology units in all district hospitals,” said Dr Srinivas GA, secretary, Karnataka Government Medical Officers’ Association.
There is a need for more fundamental reform in health care, felt Vishal Bali, CEO, Fortis Hospital. “There should be greater penetration of health care in rural and semi-urban areas. Public-private partnership initiatives should be given a boost. The budget doesn’t consider that,” said Bali.
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