Hyderabad: Deputy Chief Minister Bhatti Vikramarka on Thursday directed officials to complete repairs in welfare hostels, schools and residential institutions within one month during a Welfare hostels review meeting at the Secretariat. He also instructed departments to ensure timely payment of pending bills and strengthen student welfare initiatives.
Bhatti Vikramarka chaired a review meeting with officials from the BC, SC and ST Welfare Departments. Ministers Adluri Laxman Kumar and Ponnam Prabhakar also attended the meeting.
The Deputy Chief Minister asked officials to examine the possibility of shifting students staying in private buildings to Young India Integrated Residential Schools wherever feasible. He also instructed the Finance Department to clear nearly ₹7.5 crore in pending repair bills dating back to 2023 on a priority basis.
Welfare hostels review focuses on student facilities
Bhatti Vikramarka directed department secretaries to submit rent, diet and cosmetic charge bills regularly to the Finance Department. He warned officials against delays in forwarding student-related bills and said the government would clear them promptly after receiving proposals.
Furthermore, he directed officials to strengthen study circles to improve success rates in UPSC, Group services and other competitive examinations. He also instructed departments to submit all pending welfare bills for financial clearance.
The Deputy Chief Minister asked officials to prepare a monthly action plan for constructing the Ambedkar Tower and the Babu Jagjivan Ram student hostel complex. He set a target to inaugurate the Ambedkar Tower on April 14, 2027.
Welfare hostels review covers welfare schemes
Bhatti Vikramarka instructed officials to implement all self-employment programmes under Rajiv Yuva Vikas. In addition, he sought a detailed report on the proposed electric scooter scheme and directed departments to submit annual and quarterly fund requirements for better financial planning.
He also asked officials to prepare proposals for establishing Dr. B.R. Ambedkar Knowledge Centres in all districts. According to the Deputy Chief Minister, the government had increased diet charges by 40 per cent and cosmetic charges by 200 per cent after assuming office. He added that the government was releasing those payments regularly while improving infrastructure in welfare educational institutions.
Officials informed the meeting that 1,810 candidates from districts outside Hyderabad had secured selections through study circles since 2014. They said nearly 1,000 of those candidates had been selected after the present government assumed office. Officials also stated that residential schools required ₹29 crore every month for operations and requested the release of ₹27 crore in pending rent payments.