Bengaluru: Tourism Minister C.T. Ravi has said that Government High School students too will be covered under ‘Karnataka Darshana’ tours from the next academic year. Announcing this at a press meet to mark 100 days of his taking charge as the Minister here yesterday, C.T. Ravi said that hitherto the scheme covered only Eighth standard students from SC/ST Communities and the Specially abled.

In an effort to end discrimination, the Tourism Department, in association with the Primary and Higher Secondary Education Department, is working out plans to cover all Government High School students from the next academic year. Pointing out that the Department of Tourism will take up development works at various tourist spots across the State at a cost of Rs.367 crore, he said that the Department has planned to introduce double-decker buses at various tourist locations.

Stating that the Department has also set aside funds for the development of Chamundi Hill in Mysuru, he said that Rs.75 crore has been released for the purpose.

Asserting that the Government will set up a Kannada Classical Language Research Centre in Mysuru, Ravi, who is also the Kannada and Culture Minister, said that the University of Mysore has agreed to give three acres of land for this. The Government has constituted three Committees for the purpose, he said and added that the project will be implemented in co-ordination with the Union Ministry of Culture.