Justice Varale says 0.1% of Kumbh budget could save Marathi schools

Supreme Court Justice Prasanna B Varale said that even 0.1% of the amount spent on the Nashik Kumbh Mela could have prevented the closure of 100 to 125 Marathi-medium schools in Maharashtra. Speaking at the inauguration of smart classes in a Dhule school where he once studied, Justice Varale noted that the government allocated between Rs 32,000 crore and Rs 34,000 crore for the Kumbh Mela and Rs 11,000 crore for a corridor project. He said that just Rs 32 crore would have been enough to keep those schools open.

Justice Varale criticised the declining share of education in state and central budgets. He said central education allocations, once at 8-12%, had not reached 13% for years despite a growing student population. Citing a recent tragedy, he said three girls died from snakebites at a residential ashram school where students slept on the floor due to lack of facilities. He urged students to read widely and teachers to inspire beyond textbooks. He told NDTV that primary education and healthcare are fundamental rights.