120 Residential Schools must be constructed in 30 areas with Rs.5,000 Cr: Bhatti

The designs for the residential schools should also be readied, he said. All the measures required for the construction of 120 residential school buildings in 30 areas with Rs 5,000 crore should be taken during this academic year, he said.

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

The people’s government formed in the Indiramma Rajyam considered students studying in the State as the wealth of Telangana and the nation. That is why priority has been given in this budget to develop the education sector and the government is going forward to develop the government education system. The performance of the officers too should be in line with the government's objective, he said.

He 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 State government has set a target to complete the construction of buildings in eight months. Admissions in SC, ST, BC, Minority residential schools will be completed 100 per cent during this academic year, he said.

It was decided to provide cots to all the students of government hostels and residential schools. A list be submitted detailing the number of cots, beds, bed-sheets available for the students in all 1029 SC, ST, BC, Minority residential schools and proposals be sent on how many more are required, he instructed officials.

All facilities and amenities like toilets, bathrooms, water supply, electricity, doors and windows for hostel rooms, mosquito mesh for windows be provided without fail. A checklist be prepared by including all these facilities and it should be displayed in every hostel.

Bhatti said the rental amount for owners of residential school buildings would be released soon but the owners also as per the norms should provide all the facilities for students, he said. A checklist mentioning requirements for provision of all facilities to students be submitted to him by August 29, he said.

Bhatti positively responded to the appeal of Minister Prabhakar about immediate release of the second installment of overseas scholarships to students studying abroad. He asked officials to give the list of pending overseas scholarships in SC, ST, BC and Minority departments.

“It is the responsibility of officials to get the overseas scholarships released within the stipulated period every year so that students studying abroad would not face hardships,” he pointed out.

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

Bhatti, who visited the Peddapur Residential School in Metpally mandal in Jagtial district, asked Residential Schools Secretary Ramana Kumar about the steps taken to improve facilities there and said cots, beds would be provided on a war-footing to students. No student in that school should sleep on the floor and if the present accommodation was not sufficient, alternative arrangements be made, he suggested.

The school grounds should be levelled and toilets and bathrooms be constructed so that they would be within reach of the students. He also sought proposals for construction of new buildings.