Mysuru: Attigodu Govt High School in Periyapatna taluk of Mysuru district has been selected for the Swachh Vidyalaya Puraskar (SVP) 2025-26, a national award instituted by the Union ministry of education to recognise excellence in hygiene, sanitation and cleanliness practices in schools.The school has been chosen for its effective maintenance of toilets, promotion of hygienic handwashing practices and strong performance in water, sanitation and other cleanliness initiatives. The Union govt has selected only three schools from Karnataka for the SVP award this year, with Attigodu being the lone selection in the High School category.The other two awardees from Karnataka are Mulkadu Ellare Govt Lower Primary School in Udupi district and Kannamangala Higher Primary School in Bengaluru Rural district. Of the 20 schools recommended by Karnataka state govt to the Centre, only these three were selected for the award. Nationwide, 196 govt schools have been chosen for the Swachh Vidyalaya Puraskar 2025-26.Schools were assessed on six broad parameters, including availability of water, toilet facilities, handwashing with soap, operation and maintenance, behaviour change and capacity building, and segregation of dry and wet waste, among other indicators. The MNREGA scheme played a key role in Attigodu Govt High School securing the award. The Department of School Education and Literacy upgraded the school’s infrastructure and developed it as a model school at the Gram Panchayat headquarters of Periyapatna taluk, ensuring basic facilities for students and staff.The department spent Rs 49 lakh under MNREGA for upgrading the school, along with an additional Rs 3 lakh under 15th Finance Commission grants. Development was carried out in phases, including Rs 29.50 lakh for playground development in 2015-16, Rs 12 lakh for construction of a compound wall, Rs 95,000 for rainwater harvesting, Rs 95,000 for a basketball court and Rs 14 lakh for construction of a large dining hall.The school has a permanent borewell-based drinking water facility with connections to classrooms, separate hi-tech toilets for boys and girls, and reverse osmosis plants to provide safe drinking water. Headmaster Nagashetty expressed happiness over the recognition and thanked the Rural Development and Panchayat Raj Department and the local Gram Panchayat for their support in upgrading facilities, which contributed to the achievement.
