Hyderabad, February 4: In the wake of the mounting upsurge from the students, colleges and the opposition and that they would further intensify their agitation if the government did not respond to their demand for release of funds to meet the students’ reimbursement and scholarships, the government on Thursday appointed a Group of Ministers only to streamline the process of granting scholarships and fee reimbursement to the eligible students drawn from SC, ST, BC and Minorities whose annual family income is less than Rs 1 lakh.
Contrary to the claims that the state government was committed to working overtime for promoting higher education particularly among the underprivileged classes, Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy has so far not announced a specific date when the funds disbursements to the colleges would commence.
The N Kiran Kumar Reddy government however is yet to make a formal announcement when exactly the online fund transfer begins to meet the requirement of the colleges.
Meanwhile the students and all concerned continue to cry hoarse about the delay in withdrawal of the funds meant for scholarships.
The ultimatum served by the students, college managements and opposition did not serve any purpose if that is the signal the government has given by just naming a Group of Ministers (GoM) for theoretical purpose today.
On board the GoM are Social Welfare Minister Pithani Sathyanarayana, BC Welfare Minister, Basavaraju Saraiah, Tribal Welfare Minister Pasupuleti Balaraju, Higher and Technical Education Minister Damodar Rajanarasimha, Secondary and Intermediate Education Minister K Parthasarathy, Health and Medical Education DL Ravindra Reddy, Transport Minister Botsa Satyanarayana and Revenue Minister N Raghuveera Reddy.
The Convener of the GoM is Social Welfare Principal Secretary. The GoM is expected to periodically review issues related to payment of scholarships and fee reimbursements and submit a report to the government.
This development has been viewed as an eyewash exercise and time consuming while the poor students were seized with apprehensions of closure of their institutions if the amounts are not forthcoming.
INN