Yearly hostel rent Rs 30 lakh

• Government hostel is in a rented out building

Puttur: The Backward Classes Welfare Department is paying a monthly rent of Rs 2.48 lakh and a total yearly rent of almost 29.95 lakh for its 4 hostel which are located in rented out buildings.

There are altogether 9 hostels under the Backward Classes Welfare Department in Puttur taluk. Of these, 5 hostels have the luck of having their own buildings, but the remaining 4 hostels have land but no building and hence are functioning through rented out buildings. It is presently paying a rent of Rs 29,95,200 lakh for the four hostels which breaks down to Rs 2,49,000 every month.

The hostels with their own buildings are Birumale D Devaraj Arasu boys hostel, Survey pre-metric boys hostel, post-metric girls hostel at Uppinangady, Narimogaru post-metric girls hostel and Bannur post-metric girls hostel, who have been sanctioned their own land and received the opportunity to have their own buildings.

Salmara

The post-metric girl’s hostel at Boluvari in Puttur city is functioning out of a rented building. Understanding the need of land for this hostel which shelters 40 girls, a 0.69 acre land was identified at Gumpakallu. Government fund for the construction of the hostel is being sought. For now, a monthly rent of Rs 88,000 is being paid.

Bettampadi

Altogether 100 students are taking shelter at the post-metric girl’s hostel here. The hostel is functioning out of a rented building at Renja. A 0.35 acre land has been identified for it near Bettampadi College, but the construction work has not yet been started. It is giving a monthly rent of Rs 49,950.

Bannur

There are altogether 100 students getting shelter at the post-metric boy’s hostel functioning out of a rented building near Orlandi. A 0.81 acre land has been identified for this at hostel at Bannur. Since it is located within Puttur city, the hostel needs to constructed as soon as possible. Presently the hostel is paying a monthly rent of Rs 70,000.

Jodukatte

The pre-metric boy’s hostel is located within the city here. 0.25 acre land has been provided at Samettadka for this hostel with 40 students. IT is paying a monthly income of Rs 41,650.

The yearly income of all the 4 hostels together is Rs 29,95,200. With such a huge amount, the buildings for the hostels itself could have been constructed. But in order to provide proper food and shelter, inevitably a rented building needs to be looked for as a temporary measure. In that too the building must have proper facilities and should be easy for the students to commute to school-college and back. The concerned officials and peoples representatives need to take notice of this.

Empty positions

Of the 9 hostels of the backward classes’ welfare department in Puttur, many positions are empty. In the case where there should be 9 wardens, there are only 3 permanent appointments. 6 positions remain empty. Besides, the boy’s hostels have warden, but there is only one warden for the girls’ hostels which is very necessary. The warden is compelled to take care of additional responsibilities.

Rs 2.30 crore rent yearly

“30 hostels in the district are functioning out of rented out hostels. There are sites available for these, but lack their own buildings. The inevitability of paying a yearly rent of Rs 2.30 crore is being faced. We have sent a proposal to the government to construct buildings for these 30 hostels. Funds have been sanctioned for 10 hostels including 2 in Bantwal and 8 in Mangaluru,” informed Mohammed C R, deputy commissioner, backward classes welfare department.

Article by Ganesh N Kallarpe translated into English by Aaron Dmello