Karnataka Public School in Mandya accused of charging fees despite free education policy: Report
Mandya: A government-run Karnataka Public School (KPS) in K.R. Pet, Mandya district, has come under scrutiny after accusations surfaced that it has been charging fees from students although the institution is supposed to impart education free of cost.
Parents of students attending the school have alleged that they were being charged between Rs 2,500 and Rs 5,000 per student for the academic year. According to a parent quoted by Deccan Herald on Thursday, when they questioned the school authorities, they were told that the fees were being levied because the institution was offering education in English medium.
The fee collection has sparked concern not only among the parents but also within the School Development Monitoring Committee (SDMC), which has complained to the Block Education Officer (BEO) about the alleged practice. However, despite the complaints, no action has reportedly been taken by the BEO so far.
Some students were reportedly issued receipts acknowledging the payment of fees. Interestingly, the receipts were issued under the name of a private coaching institute, DH added.
Additionally, some parents revealed that they were asked to deposit the fees into a joint bank account registered under the names of the SDMC chairman and the school principal.
Puligeraiah, the in-charge principal of the school, who took over duties only on July 1, claimed that he was unaware of the issue.
Meanwhile, the Department of School Education has sought a report from the Mandya Deputy Director of Public Instruction regarding the allegations.
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Power tariffs under BESCOM to rise from May 1
Bengaluru (PTI): Power bills for consumers under the Bangalore Electricity Supply Company Limited (BESCOM) will go up from May 1, following an order issued by the Karnataka Electricity Regulatory Commission (KERC) on Friday.
The hike comes after KERC allowed the BESCOM to recover a revenue deficit of Rs 2,068 crore incurred in 2024-25, from the consumers.
As a result, for every unit of electricity consumed in 2024-25, the customers will be charged an additional 56 paise, it said.
"BESCOM shall calculate, for each of the active consumers of FY2024-25 the amount to be recovered based on their actual energy consumption during FY2024-25. Such amount shall be recovered during FY 2026-27 in equal monthly instalments, to be called as 'FY25 True up Charges', commencing from the first meter reading date falling on or after 1 May 2026 and concluding with the reading date ending on 30 April 2027," the order said.
"It is further ordered that BESCOM shall maintain a separate head of account, allocated for the purpose, to record the adjustment of the said amount to ensure full recovery of the deficit," it added.
Similarly Chamundeshwari Electricity Supply Corporation Limited (CESC) has also recorded a revenue deficit of Rs 121.71 crore and can collect an additional 15 paisa per unit for consumption in 2024-25, official sources said.
