0.1% Of Funds Spent For Kumbh Mela Would Have Saved Over 100 Marathi Schools From Shutting Down: Justice PB Varale

Speaking on the state of Marathi medium schools, Supreme Court Justice PB Varale on Saturday (August 22) said that if even 0.1% of funds allocated for Kumbh mela infrastructure were spent on education then over 100 Marathi-medium schools could have been saved from shutting down, the Times of India reported. 

Justice Varale was reportedly speaking at an event during a visit to his school in Nasik where he said, 

"Recently, chief minister said govt is spending Rs 34,000 crore on Kumbh infrastructure and Rs 11,000 crore on a corridor project. I have no objection to such spending. But if just 0.1% of the Kumbh allocation, around Rs 32 crore, was spent on education, more than 100-150 Marathi schools could have been prevented from shutting down". 

Reportedly, the Government of Maharashtra informed the Union Government that a comprehensive Kumbh Mela Development Plan amounting to Rs 22,425.39 crore has been approved by the State's Chief Minister at the meeting of the Apex Committee held on March 13, 2026. The Simhastha Kumbh Mela at Nashik is set to commence in October this year. 

He also reportedly spoke on the condition of asharamshalas (residential schools), referring to an incident where he read about three girl students sleeping on the floor of an ashramshala who died due to snake-bites. 

"The overall condition of many residential schools remains pathetic," the judge reportedly said. 

Emphasising the need of changes in structural educational infrastructure, Justice Varale said that budgetary allocation for education, which earlier ranged between 8-12% had declined.