Mangaluru
The inauguration of Government Veterinary College and Hospital in Koila of Kadaba taluk is expected to gain momentum, following the announcements made in the recent state budget. The first academic year is expected to start in November 2024. In the first phase, the government spent Rs. 136Cr, and the project was completed a year ago and is ready for inauguration.
In the recently announced budget, government has agreed to allocate Rs. 98Cr out of the estimated Rs. 206cr for the second phase of work.
Karnataka’s seventh Veterinary College at Koila was announced by former Chief Minister DV Sadananda Gowda in his 2012–13 budget. The foundation stone for the state-of-the-art 247-acre sprawling campus was laid in October 2016 by CM Siddaramaiah during his previous term. Though the deadline to complete the works was in 2018, it was finally completed in April last year, after five years of delay.
Dr. L Ranganath, Officer On Special Duty, told that the academic year is likely to begin in November. The phase one work that took nearly a decade to complete includes a college block, a teaching hospital, hostels, and a guest house. The second phase works will be taken up at an estimated cost of Rs. 206Cr in phases- 2A, 2B, and 2C, he said.
Also, the budget has made provisions for the recruitment of five permanent Professors, five Associate Professors and 14 Assistant Professors. A total of 37 non-teaching staff will be recruited on a contractual basis and the process will begin soon, Dr Ranganath said adding that the decision to allocate funds for the college was made only a day before the budget. Puttur MLA Ashok Kumar Rai is following up the project personally.
