Telangana: 120 residential schools to be constructed in 30 places with Rs 5,000 cr

Hyderabad: Deputy Chief Minister Bhatti Vikramarka Mallu has instructed the officials of the Education Department to coordinate with respective district collectors to acquire sites for Integrated Residential School buildings in various constituencies.

The state government to construct 120 residential school buildings in 30 areas with a budget of Rs 5,000 crore during this academic year.

On Monday, Bhatti, along with BC Welfare Minister Ponnam Prabhakar, held a review meeting with officials of SC, ST, BC, and Minority Residential schools at the Secretariat.

"The Deputy CM directed the officials to acquire 15 to 25 acres in rural areas and 10 to 15 acres in urban areas for the Integrated Residential Schools. The government has set a target to complete the construction of buildings in eight months. Admissions in SC, ST, BC, and Minority Residential schools will be completed 100 per cent during this academic year," he said.

The government has also decided to provide cots to all the students of government hostels and residential schools. A list was asked to be submitted detailing the number of cots, beds, and bedsheets available for the students in all 1029 SC, ST, and BC.

"Funds will be released after the proposals are examined. All facilities and amenities like toilets, bathrooms, running water, electricity, doors and windows for hostel rooms, and mosquito mesh for windows should be provided without fail. A checklist should be prepared including all these facilities, and it should be displayed in every hostel," Bhatti said.

The Deputy CM said that rental amount for owners of residential school buildings would be released soon, but as per the norms, the owners should provide all the facilities for students.

A checklist mentioning requirements for the provision of all facilities to students was asked to be submitted to him by August 29.

Overseas Scholarships:

The Deputy CM positively responded to Ponnam Prabhakar's appeal about the immediate release of the second instalment of overseas scholarships for students studying abroad. He asked the officials to give the list of pending overseas scholarships in SC, ST, BC and Minority departments.

During this academic year, overseas scholarships will be sanctioned to 800 BC students, 500 students each among SC, ST and Minorities, he said.

Further, Bhatti, who recently visited the Peddapur Residential School in Metpally mandal in Jagityal district, asked Residential Schools Secretary Ramanakumar about the steps taken to improve facilities there and said cots and beds be provided on a war-footing to the students.

"No student in that school should sleep on the floor, and if the present accommodation is not sufficient, alternative arrangements should be made," said Bhatti.