Chhattisgarh: Mobile tower installed at Kondapalli village in Naxal-affected Bijapur
Raipur (PTI): A mobile tower has been installed for the first time at Kondapalli village in Chhattisgarh's Naxal-affected Bijapur district, an area long cut off from the outside world, officials said on Sunday.
The village, about 450 km from state capital Raipur and located in the dense forests along the border with Telangana, did not have roads, electricity and drinking water until recently.
The installation of a mobile tower last week was not merely a technological step forward for the local community but a symbol of getting connected with the outside world, said a government statement.
His government was committed to ensure that every village and every family in Bastar region becomes part of the development mainstream, gains access to digital services, and sees new avenues of opportunity open for them, Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai was quoted as saying in the statement.
This was the dawn of a new era of trust, transformation and new possibilities, he said.
Mobile network was being provided under the 'Niyad Nellanaar' (Your Good Village) scheme of the state government which aims to bring development to remote villages close to security camps, the statement said.
As the tower's activation was announced last week, excitement swept through Kondapalli as women, men and children marched to the tower site in a procession and performed traditional rituals. People danced to the beat of the 'mandar' drum and residents of neighbouring villages also joined in.
With mobile network, the villagers can now access banking services, Aadhaar, ration, health schemes, pension schemes and educational services, the release said.
Since a security camp was set up at Kondapalli in December 2024, the administration has been able to reach the village regularly. The long-defunct road in the area is being reconstructed by the Border Roads Organisation, and work on a 50-km stretch is currently under progress, the statement said.
Electricity reached the village for the first time only two months ago, changing daily life in many ways including how the children study and small businesses are run, the statement said, adding the administration has been conducting camps to ensure every family receives the benefits of government schemes.
Under the Niyad Nellanaar scheme, 18 community services under nine departments and 25 individual-centric schemes of 11 departments are being delivered in 403 villages around 69 new security camps in Bastar region which comprises seven districts including Bijapur.
Over the past two years, 728 mobile towers have been installed in the region. Additionally, 449 towers have been upgraded from 2G to 4G, the statement added.
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Governor urges enhanced budgetary support for higher education in state budget
Bengaluru (PTI): Karnataka Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot on Saturday urged the state government to provide stronger budgetary backing to the Higher Education department in the forthcoming state budget.
Presiding over the Karnataka State Public Universities Vice Chancellors’ Conference–2026, organised by Lok Bhavan in collaboration with the Higher Education department and the Karnataka Higher Education Council, the Governor stressed that public universities require structured and sustained financial support, a press release issued by Lok Bhavan said.
“Universities, having limited internal revenue sources, require special financial care and structured budgetary support,” the release quoted Gehlot as saying, while appealing to Chief Minister Siddaramaiah to ensure the March 6 State Budget is more beneficial to higher education.
The Governor expressed satisfaction over the Chief Minister’s participation in the conference and voiced confidence that the upcoming budget would prioritise higher education.
He specifically called for filling long-pending vacancies in institutions such as Karnataka State Dr Gangubai Hangal Music and Performing Arts University, Sampurnanand Sanskrit University, Kannada University, Karnataka Janapada University, and Dr B R Ambedkar School of Economics University, along with adequate financial provisions for their development.
Emphasising the need to strengthen government universities, Gehlot said deliberations at the conference reflected Karnataka’s readiness to steer higher education in a new direction.
He also called for increasing admissions in government institutions and examining why students prefer private universities despite higher fees.
The Governor stressed strict adherence to academic calendars to ensure timely admissions, examinations and declaration of results.
Improved coordination between Vice Chancellors and Registrars, upskilling of academic staff, curriculum updates aligned with present-day needs and the introduction of job-oriented courses were identified as priorities.
Highlighting campus development, he stressed the need to improve quality, cleanliness and greenery, and urged active implementation of initiatives such as “One Tree for Mother.”
He also encouraged universities to promote sports participation to enable students to represent institutions at district, state, national and international levels.
On governance and transparency, Gehlot pressed for strict compliance with central and UGC guidelines within stipulated timelines.
The release said he emphasised that institutional credibility depends on resolving internal disputes democratically and maintaining transparency in financial matters.
He added that the Chancellor must foster harmony among stakeholders to avoid unnecessary inquiries and administrative disruptions.
The Governor suggested that universities expand international collaborations for academic and student exchange, enhance national rankings and address faculty shortages and infrastructure gaps.
Leveraging central schemes and Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) funds was suggested as a way to bridge financial constraints with State support.
According to him, universities should preference to Indian traditional dress as uniform attire during annual convocation ceremonies to promote cultural heritage.
The conference commenced with the rendition of Vande Mataram, Jana Gana Mana and Naada Geethe. Higher Education Minister M C Sudhakar welcomed participants and outlined the objectives of the conference.
Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and his deputy D K Shivakumar were among those present on the occasion.
