Over 34K Cr for Nashik Kumbh Mela, Peanut for Schools: SC Judge
Supreme Court of India Justice Prasanna B Varale Monday August 24, 2026 while expressing concerns over the worsening condition of schools in Maharashtra compared the huge fund allocated for Nashik Kumbh Mela and the declining Education Budget of the State
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Dhule: Supreme Court of India Justice Prasanna B Varale Monday August 24, 2026 while expressing concerns over the worsening condition of schools in Maharashtra compared the huge fund allocated for Nashik Kumbh Mela and the declining Education Budget of the State.
While visiting his alma-mater in Dhule, Justice Prasanna B Varale said 0.1% of the funds allocated for Nashik Kumbh Mela or Nashik-Trimbakeshwar Simhastha could have saved hundreds of schools from closure.
“The government claims to allocate vast funds for various initiatives. The Deputy Chief Minister mentioned Rs 32,000 crore, and the Chief Minister mentioned Rs 34,000 crore for the Kumbh Mela. I read elsewhere about Rs 11,000 crore being allocated for a corridor project,” reported Bar and Bench.
“Even 0.1% of the expenditure earmarked for these could have helped save 100 to 125 Marathi-medium schools from shutting down”, he said in an event organized to inaugurate smart classes at the high school in Dhule district of Maharashtra where he had studied.
Justice Varale also expressed concern over the decline in the education budget over the years, despite the student population has increased.
Referring to the allocation at the central level, he said the provision for education had earlier been around 11% and should have increased with the rising number of students.
“However, the allocation had declined and had not even reached 13 percent for many years”, he said.
During his speech, Justice Prasanna Varale also highlighted the importance of schooling in regional language and mother tongue.
Recalling that he completed his schooling up to Class 10 in Municipal and Zilla Parishad Marathi-medium schools, Justice Varale said, “Studying in a regional-language school did not limit his career and instead helped broaden his perspective.”
As per reports, around 94,000 government schools have been closed across India in the last ten years. Justice Varale’s statement came amid the protests by the students, labeled as Gen Z and Gen Alpha, in different parts of India over the worsening condition of schools and education system in India.
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