Coast Guard commander visits Mangaluru
Mangaluru (PTI): Indian Coast Guard commander (western seaboard) additional director general K R Suresh, who is on a four-day visit to Karnataka headquarters of the coast guard in Mangaluru, has taken stock of the operational readiness of Coast Guard assets in the state.
A Coast Guard release here said on Saturday that it was his maiden visit to the state after assuming command of the western seaboard.
He also reviewed the progress of infrastructure development in Mangaluru, including the upcoming state-of-the-art Indian Coast Guard Academy project at Kenjar village.
The commander also interacted with men and civilians of Coast Guard to get apprised of their basic functioning and welfare activities being undertaken.
The commander, in his 35 years of service, has led various afloat and ashore units, including Coast Guard district headquarters No. 3, Karnataka from 2015 to 2017 during which he ensured lot of infrastructure development at Mangaluru.
He has also held important key staff appointments at Coast Guard headquarters in Delhi whereas deputy director general (Ops and coastal security).
The commander is a recipient of the prestigious President Tatrakshak medal and Tatrakshak medal by the Union government and has overseen the firefighting operations onboard MT New Diamond and MV X-press Pearl off Sri Lanka as well as pollution response operations of MV Wakashio off coast of Mauritius, the release added.
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Only teachers can transform individuals into extraordinary citizens: CM Siddaramaiah
Bengaluru (PTI): Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Saturday said that only teachers have the power to transform ordinary individuals into extraordinary citizens and urged them to focus on building a better society.
Inaugurating the State-level Educational Mega Conference and Golden Jubilee celebrations of the Karnataka State Primary School Teachers' Association at Tripura Vasini, Palace Grounds, he said teachers are the architects of the nation's future.
"At the time of Independence, the literacy rate was only 12 to 15 per cent. Today it has risen to 74 per cent. We must ask whether we are providing quality education that responds to social issues. This is not the fault of teachers. Because of the deeply rooted caste system, we have not been able to bring about the expected transformation in education," he said.
Emphasising the need for scientific and rational education, he said the Constitution envisages responsible development of individuals through such learning.
"Society is still bound by caste, superstition and regressive practices. Education must help eliminate these," he said, adding that inequality must end for all sections to join the mainstream.
"Only teachers can impart rational and scientific education. Only teachers have the power to transform ordinary people into extraordinary individuals," he said, recalling Mahatma Gandhi's view that development is possible only when intellect, compassion and skill come together.
He urged teachers to discharge their constitutional duties. "Accept ideas only after questioning and reasoning. Teach children to do the same," he said.
Assuring that teachers' demands would be addressed in phases, he said one lakh teachers were recruited when he was the finance minister in the past and that the Sixth and Seventh Pay Commissions had been implemented.
"We will discuss the Old Pension Scheme (OPS) in the Cabinet and arrive at a decision," he said.
Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar, speaking at the conference, called upon teachers to prepare students not just to learn history but to create it.
"You are not just nurturing children; you are nurturing society itself. The joy you feel when your students rise to great heights cannot be matched," he said.
He urged teachers to ensure that the quality of education available in Bengaluru reaches every school.
"To realise dreams, children need hard work, commitment and discipline. The foundation laid at the primary level lasts a lifetime," he said.
Announcing measures to strengthen rural education, he said Rs 8,000 crore to Rs 10,000 crore of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) funds would be utilised to improve infrastructure in government schools in villages.
"Migration of children to cities for education must stop. Private schools have been advised to adopt government schools. Through this, we aim to fill 90,000 teaching posts," he said.
Noting that over one lakh teaching posts were vacant, he said approval had recently been given to fill 56,000 posts out of 2.5 lakh vacancies after detailed Cabinet discussions.
He also assured that land would be allotted for the teachers' association building subject to availability and sought teachers' cooperation in booth-level electoral work, stating that their role in ensuring fairness was crucial.
