'Meaningless': Union Minister attacks Telangana govt over fee-reimbursement scheme panel

Hyderabad, Nov 5 (IANS) Union Minister of State for Home Affairs Bandi Sanjay Kumar has slammed the Congress government in Telangana for constituting a committee for the mobilisation of finances for the fee-reimbursement scheme, saying it will destroy what is left of Telangana’s education system.

The BJP leader on Wednesday reacted strongly to the formation of the committee even as the private professional colleges in the state continue their strike, demanding the release of dues under the fee reimbursement scheme.

“For the first time in Telangana’s history, over 2,500 educational institutions have shut down, and Congress government doesn’t even feel the pinch. Education has become the biggest casualty under the Congress government,” the MoS said in a social media post.

“Forget proportionate increase in fee reimbursement - two years of BRS govt dues, two years of Congress dues - this is four full academic years of neglect making students, staff & parents suffer Congress attitude is simple: “If you don’t want to study, don’t study.”

Bandi Sanjay pointed out that out of Rs 10,500 crore pending dues, colleges are only asking for half. “Instead of clearing that, the government forms a meaningless committee with Congress sympathisers. Telangana knows what happened with the Independent Expert Group survey for Backward Classes. The same people who failed that are now deciding the future of our students. If you had to set up a committee, why did you issue tokens for ₹1200cr bills? Why didn’t you clear the money? Why announce ₹600 crore by Dusshera, if you never intended to release it? Does Congress manifesto or guarantee card have any value at all, or is this committee just another political drama?” he asked.

The Central minister alleged that reckless fiscal mismanagement has become the hallmark of the Congress regime. “This committee is to delay, to deflect, and to destroy what’s left of Telangana’s education system. We demand immediate release of at least half the dues in the interest of students, teachers & staff,” he added.

The Telangana government on Tuesday constituted the committee comprising officials, academicians and representatives from the Federation of Associations of Telangana Higher Institutions (FATHI). It will study a sustainable free reimbursement scheme through the Trust Bank.

On a call given by FATHI, around 2,000 professional colleges, including engineering, pharmacy, MBA, MCA, B.Ed and nursing institutions, launched an indefinite shutdown on Monday.

The managements of the colleges said they were unable to run their institutions due to non-payment of dues.

According to FATHI, the total arrears under the fee reimbursement scheme are to the tune of Rs 10,000 crore. Its leaders said that during the talks held in September, the government had promised to release Rs 1,200 crore in dues before Diwali, but only Rs 300 crore has been disbursed so far.

--IANS

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