AP CM announces 10 pc hike in hostel, Gurukul diet charges
Amaravati, July 8 (TNT): Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu on Wednesday announced a 10 per cent increase in diet charges for students studying in government hostels and Gurukul institutions, with effect from the second quarter of the current financial year.
Reviewing the functioning of the Welfare Department at the State Secretariat, the Chief Minister directed officials to implement the enhanced diet charges immediately despite concerns raised by the Finance Department over fiscal constraints.
Naidu said education was the key to transforming the lives of students belonging to Backward Classes (BC), Scheduled Castes (SC), Scheduled Tribes (ST) and Minority communities, and stressed that welfare institutions should provide education on par with the best private institutions.
He directed officials to establish more Gurukul institutions across the State, giving priority to constructing residential schools instead of conventional hostels.
He also called for an assessment of adopting Net Zero practices in Gurukul campuses and suggested developing them on the lines of biodiversity parks with modern infrastructure.
To improve living conditions in welfare institutions, the Chief Minister announced an allocation of ₹100 crore for maintenance and infrastructure development of hostels and residential schools.
Naidu also instructed officials to establish special coaching facilities for meritorious SC, ST, BC and Minority students preparing for competitive examinations such as IIT, NIT and NEET, and emphasised the need to recruit qualified teachers to provide quality coaching.
He urged Non-Resident Indians (NRIs) to adopt welfare hostels and called for the creation of strong alumni networks for welfare hostels, Gurukuls, residential schools and Ashram schools.
He also encouraged professionals to voluntarily provide educational and medical services in these institutions.
The Chief Minister said welfare should extend beyond financial assistance and focus on improving livelihoods and incomes of weaker sections.
He directed officials to ensure effective implementation of schemes such as SASKI, Poorvodaya and VBG Ramji, while promoting cultivation of horticultural crops, rubber, coffee and turmeric to enhance farmers’ incomes.
Highlighting existing livelihood initiatives, Naidu said the government had provided reservations in liquor shops for traditional toddy tappers, quarry allocations for Vaddera communities and financial assistance to barbers, fishermen and handloom workers.
He asked officials to prepare proposals for further improving the socio-economic status of various communities and to examine amendments to the by-laws of caste corporations, using the Brahmin Corporation as a model.
The Chief Minister also directed officials to construct Anganwadi buildings under the VBG Ram G programme.
Officials informed the meeting that a smart card-based telephone system had been introduced in welfare hostels, allowing students experiencing homesickness to speak with their parents for four minutes daily.
They also said infrastructure works worth ₹120 crore, including installation of RO plants, construction of toilets and other facilities in Social Welfare and Tribal Welfare schools under the SASKI programme, were in progress.
Ministers D. B. V. Swamy, S. Savitha, Gummidi Sandhyarani, N. M. D. Farooq and Minority Welfare Advisor Mohammed Sharif attended the review meeting.
TNT KM
