Brothers | Photo credit: SPELY ARTERNENT
The Karnataka government has not paid the education expenses of as many as 461 children of farmers who ended their lives due to drought in the state in the last five years.
From the academic year 2020-21 to 2024-25, a total of 797 students, children of farmers who ended their lives due to drought across the state, applied for education expenses. Out of this, only 336 students were paid a total of ₹ 45.94 lakh.
Responding to a question raised by Janata Dal (Secular) Member of the Legislative Council (MLC) Govindaraju in the ongoing legislative session, School Education and Literacy Minister Madhu Bangarappa said that the education expenditure of the remaining 461 students is pending due to non-submission of proposals from the respective districts.
The government has been bearing the entire cost of education, including accommodation fees, of the children of farmers who have ended their lives due to drought in the state since 2016-17. Between 2017-18 and 2024-25, DSEL received 1,589 applications, out of which 1,128 applicants were refunded.
Based on the applications submitted by the students, DSEL officials at the district level have to submit a proposal to the state government with documents, including attested copies of the parents’ names in the Student Tracking System (SATS) and the death certificate of the farmer parent who ended his life. In the case of these 461 students, no such proposals from the districts were submitted.
The Association of School Development and Monitoring Committee (SDMC) condemned the indifferent attitude of DSEL officials and demanded immediate reimbursement of education expenses of all 461 students. “The children who have lost their parents are already in need. The negligence of DSEL officials at the district level is inhuman. The government should take immediate steps to refund these expenses to all eligible students and take action against the officials who caused this delay,” said Umesh G. Gangavadi, state president of the SDMC Association.
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Published – 18 Dec 2025 20:10 IST
