“It is our aim that everyone in society should be educated. The State government has drawn up several plans and it is implementing several projects and schemes to ensure that education becomes universally accessible,” Chief Minister Siddaramaiah said in Belagavi on Saturday.

He was speaking after laying the foundation stone for various buildings under PM-Usha (MERU) Scheme on the new campus of Rani Channamma University in Hire Bagewadi.

“Our government is influenced by the ideologies of thought leaders like the Buddha, Basavanna, Mahatma Gandhi and B.R. Ambedkar. They all believed in equality and creation of equal opportunities. They felt that freedom is meaningful only when all have economic and social freedom and equality. Our aim is that women, the poor, deprived, minorities and the backward classes in society should get access to higher education because everyone needs to be educated. Poverty and unemployment in society can be eliminated by using education as a change agent,” he said.

“We should all realise that education is power. The government has implemented many welfare programmes and everyone should make good use of them,” he said.

Public Works Minister Satish Jarkiholi said that the government is committed to developing Rani Channamma University.

“In addition to laying the foundation stone for various buildings, our department has undertaken the construction of a road connecting the stretch from National Highway 4 to the new campus at a cost of ₹10 crore,” he said.

Minister Lakshmi R. Hebbalkar said that the State Cabinet has approved a drinking water project for Rani Channamma University. She hoped that the Chief Minister will inaugurate the new campus soon.

Higher Education Minister M.C. Sudhakar said that the new campus being constructed at a cost of ₹116 crore is nearing completion.

The Union government has released special grants of ₹100 crore for Bengaluru University and Rani Channamma University. It has also released ₹20 crore grants to six other universities in the State. With new infrastructure and other facilities, Rani Channamma University will be able to start new courses. Priority will be given to technical education, he said.

Vice-Chancellor C.M. Tyagaraja, Registrar Santosh Kamagouda and others were present.