Hyderabad, August 20: Higher Education Minister D Sridhar Babu has said that lecturers in 36 private aided degree colleges, which were running without sufficient number of students in the State, would be redeployed in other colleges soon.
He said that there was no sufficient staff in degree colleges due to ban on recruitment.
Replying to a question of DL Ravindra Reddy (Congress) during the Question Hour in the State Assembly today, Sridhar Babu said that the lands allotted to aided colleges would be taken back following the rules.
Meanwhile, replying to another question of P Rajanna Dora (Congress), Secondary Education Minister D Manikya Vara Prasad said that the Government give priority to local candidates in the recruitment of contract lecturers in tribal areas. He ruled the closure of Government colleges in tribal areas.
DESILTATION OF TANKS: Minor Irrigation Minister Sunita Lakshma Reddy said that the State Government earmarked Rs 1,452 crore to desilt 13,950 minor irrigation tanks.
Replying to a question of E Rajender (TRS) and others, she said that the 24.50 lakh acres would be stabilised under minor irrigation tanks with a cost of Rs 3,000 crore.
OPPN DISRUPTS BUSINESS: Major Irrigation Minister Ponnala Lakshmaiah said that water from major reservoirs would be released for drinking water needs. Replying to a question of P Srinivasa Reddy (TDP) and others on release of Singur waters, the minister said that the water would be released for agricultural needs if there were rains.
He said that 8 tmcft water would be released to Nizamsagar from Singur project, if there were copious rains. At present there is only one tmcft water at Singur project, he added. However, the TDP, PRP AND TRS members rushed to the podium alleging that the Government was diverting Singur waters to various municipalities and Hyderabad for drinking water. Lakshmaiah, however, said that no new pipelines were laid to take additional water to Hyderabad. Not satisfied with the minister’s reply, the TDP members staged a dharna near the podium, forcing Speaker N Kiran Kumar Reddy to adjourn the House for 15 minutes.
BYPASS ROAD FOR KAKINADA: Roads and Building Minister Galla Aruna Kumari said that the Centre had proposed to develop National Highway 214 road from Kathipudi to Digamarru covering bypass road for Kakinada. She told D Chandrasekhara Reddy (Cong) that the Feedback Ventures Pvt Ltd was entrusted with the job of preparing a detailed project report.
MISUSE OF NREGS FUNDS: Panchayat Raj and Rural Development Minister Vatti Vasantha Kumar admitted that some field assistants, technical assistants, additional programme officers and computer operators had misappropriated NREGS funds to the tune of Rs 79 lakh in Medak district.
Replying to a question of P Kista Reddy (Cong), the Minister said action would be taken against the erring officials and the Government was recovering the money from them.
However, Kista Reddy alleged that there was no action even if he brought it to the notice of concerned officials. As the Congress member highlighting the corruption in the Government scheme, the TDP members thumped the desks. TDP member N Janardhan Reddy’s demand for a House Committee to probe the matter was, however, turned down by the Government.
Intervening in the debate, Finance Minister K Rosaiah said that unlike in the Food-for-Work programme in the TDP regime, the State Government noticed the lapses in NREGS and was trying to book the culprits.
The remark drew widespread protest from the Opposition benches.
-Agencies