Bengaluru: The state government has drawn up a plan to upgrade 800 government schools into Karnataka Public Schools (KPS), each equipped with modern infrastructure at an estimated cost of Rs 4 crore per school, Primary and Secondary Education Minister of Karnataka Madhu Bangarappa announced on Wednesday.

Speaking at a press conference in Bengaluru, the minister said the KPS model will provide continuous education from pre-primary to II PUC under one roof. In the first phase, 500 schools will be developed as KPS institutions with the support of the Asian Development Bank (ADB) and the state government.

Additionally, 200 schools will be upgraded through the Kalyana Karnataka Region Development Board, while 100 more will be taken up in 10 mining-affected taluks under the Karnataka Mining Environment Restoration Corporation (KMERC). A Detailed Project Report (DPR) will be prepared for each set of projects.

“Each Assembly constituency will have two to three KPS schools, while taluks in the Kalyana Karnataka region will get four to five,” the minister said.

To ensure coordination, a Taluk Education Reform Committee will be formed under the chairmanship of the local MLA. “The goal is to enhance the basic infrastructure of government schools and ensure quality education for all,” he added.

The minister also said value education would be introduced for students from Classes 1 to 10, focusing on 10 core moral values. The Department of State Educational Research and Training (DSERT) has prepared activity-based student workbooks for this purpose.

Training for 1,984 resource persons will be conducted at the District Institute of Education and Training (DIET) level by the end of this month.

On November 1, marking Kannada Rajyotsava, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah will release the digital version of the student activity books, while printed copies will be supplied to all schools so that each student receives one activity book, the minister said.

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Thane (PTI): Police have arrested a 26-year-old man and seized banned tobacco products valued at more than Rs 5 lakh following a raid in the Ulhasnagar area of Thane district, an official said on Saturday.

The operation was conducted on the premises late Wednesday night near Shahad gate, based on a complaint filed by officials from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), a police officer said, adding that a police team found a large consignment of contraband from different brands, stocked for illegal sale.

The arrested accused has been identified as Arbaz Nasir Khan (26). Two other suspects have been named as wanted in the case, and a hunt has been launched to nab them.

The seized tobacco products are valued at approximately Rs 5,05,658.

An FIR has been registered at the Ulhasnagar police station under various sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), along with relevant provisions of FDA regulations.