Mysuru: The Fine Arts and Handicrafts Camp and Exhibition, organised by the Mysuru Dasara Fine Arts and Handicrafts Sub-Committee at Chamarajendra Government College of Visual Arts (CAVA) in Siddarthanagar, was inaugurated by Kannada and Culture Minister Shivaraj S. Tangadagi yesterday.

Speaking on the occasion, Tangadagi said that CAVA was established in 1913 as a technical educational school. After Independence, efforts were made to improve visual arts education.

The Minister assured that the Rs. 2 crore grant, allocated in the budget for CAVA’s development, will be released soon.

He said that the institution needed more staff and that certain issues related to reservation in recruitment had been resolved.

The Government would hold discussions with the Department Secretary and expedite the process of creating posts and recruitment through Detailed Project Report, he assured.

The Minister said that undergraduate students are provided a monthly financial assistance of Rs. 750 and postgraduate students are given Rs. 1,000. Students trained at the institution are getting good job opportunities, he added.

Karnataka Shilpakala Academy Chairman M.C. Ramesh, Kannada & Culture Department Secretary N. Manjushree, Kannada & Culture Department Director K.M. Vasundhara and Archaeology, Museums and Heritage Department Commissioner A. Devaraju were present  during inauguration.

The Camp/ Expo at CAVA will be open to public from 10.30 am to 6.30 pm till Oct. 14. Also, there will be screening of Artistic Animation Short Film from Oct. 12 to 14 from 12 noon to 1 pm and 2 pm to 4 pm. Cultural programmes has also been organised on all the days from 4 pm to 6 pm till Oct. 14. On Oct. 18, a day-long ‘Kala Jathre’ will be held from 9 am to 7 pm.