Belagavi
A Gram Panchayat member from Mantur village, Raibag taluk, has used government scheme funds and her honorarium to open a study library for poor students preparing for competitive exams. Mallavva Bhimappa Meti spent Rs 26,000 from the Gruhalakshmi scheme and additional funds from her honorarium, totaling Rs 1.5 lakh, to establish the facility. The library provides books in Kannada and English for exams like KPSC, UPSC, and police recruitment.
Mallavva said the initiative was taken to help students who could not afford coaching classes and study materials. Many students in the village had been traveling to nearby cities like Belagavi, Dharwad, and Hubli for coaching, which involved high accommodation costs. Mallavva wanted to reduce this burden by setting up the library through Sankalp Gram Seva Sansthe.
The library was inaugurated by a local religious leader. It operates from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily and is equipped with book cabins, fans, furniture, battery backup, and drinking water. The Gram Panchayat President, Shobha Myagadi, expressed satisfaction in seeing local youths use the facility for their studies.
Mallavva shared the news on her social media account, encouraging students to use the library. Some praised the effort, while others criticized her for attributing all credit to the Gruhalakshmi scheme, as the scheme’s contribution was less than 25 percent of the total cost.
