Mangaluru : Minister for Social Welfare and Backward Classes Kota Srinivas Poojary flagged off a cleanliness drive being initiated in all the hostels and residential schools run by the department across the state, at post matric boys hostel at Kadri in Mangaluru on Saturday.

The cleanliness drive is being carried out as a part of Gandhi Jayanthi in all the hostels and residential schools run by the department, the minister said after flagging off the drive.

There are more than 5,500 hostels and residential schools in Karnataka. As per the aspirations of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and direction of Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai, the drive is being taken up across the state. More than three lakh students are residing in post matric hostels and 40,000 staff are involved in the campaign, the minister said.

A nodal officer has been appointed in each district to monitor and guide the cleanliness drive. All the staff from social welfare and backward classes department will take part in the ‘shramadaan’. Stating that there is a notion that Gandhi Jayanthi is observed symbolically every year, the Minister said that the department will mull over carrying out meaningful activities every month to make Gandhi Jayanthi more meaningful.

Along with the students and staff, the Minister removed the weeds, grass, fallen leaves and silt in the premises of the hostel.

The minister also had breakfast with the students in the hostel.

The minister said that the post matric boys hostel at Kadri was started in 1986. The hostel is situated in the heart of the city and there is a huge demand for the hostel from the students. The department is planning to renovate the hostel building by building new structures. A sum of Rs 10 crore to Rs 15 crore would be required for the same, he added.