HYDERABAD: Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy has announced the implementation of a 'green channel' fund transfer mechanism for government residential schools and welfare hostels to ensure timely disbursement of funds and to do away with delays caused by bureaucratic clearances.
Under this new system, funds will be transferred directly by the 10th of every month, guaranteeing seamless support for students.
Reddy made this announcement during his visit to a government residential school in Chilkur on Saturday. He launched a new common diet menu for students and dined with them to inspect the quality of food being served.
Highlighting the importance of living conditions in hostels, he said that along with ministers, district collectors, SPs, and other officials, he would frequently visit residential schools and welfare hostels. This initiative is aimed at identifying and resoling problems while preventing incidents like food poisoning.
To ensure quality and accountability, the Chief Minister urged officials to establish 'mess management committees' consisting of students in every residential school and welfare hostel. These committees will monitor food preparation from the cooking stage to serving, empowering students to oversee the quality of meals that they consume.
He addressed misconceptions surrounding government schools, stressing that students in private institutions are not inherently more talented. "The Congress government is working hard to dispel such myths and raise confidence in government schools," he stated.
He gave the examples of prominent IAS and IPS officers, including TGPSC chairman Burra Venkatesham and former TGPSC chairman M. Mahender Reddy, who, he said, had studied in government residential schools and excelled in their respective fields.
Criticising the BRS government for neglecting basic needs like diet, cosmetics and infrastructure, Reddy spoke about the Congress government’s efforts to address these shortcomings. The government had recently increased diet charges by 40 per cent and cosmetic charges by 200 per cent, a first-of-its-kind initiative in the country. Additionally, uniform stitching charges have been raised from `25 to `75, with the work entrusted to women self-help groups ensuring that they reach students before the commencement of the academic year.
Expressing concern over the low enrollment in government schools compared to private institutions, he called on officials and teachers to introspect.
"Why are parents from poorer sections, who cannot afford private school fees, still opting for private institutions? Why are we unable to produce multi-talented students? This is our responsibility," he said.
Reddy urged officials to visit schools frequently, dine with students, and address their issues on a priority basis.
"We must take precautions to prevent incidents like the recent food poisoning case, which claimed the life of a student," he said, acknowledging the emotional toll such tragedies take on families.
The Chief Minister spoke about the skill university, the sports university and the government’s plans to set up Young India integrated residential schools in every Assembly constituency to compete with private institutions, ensuring quality education and infrastructure. "Spending on education is not an expenditure; it is an investment for a secure future," he reiterated, urging teachers to encourage students to explore and excel beyond academics.
Revanth Reddy stressed the need for long-term planning and introspection.
"What have we learnt in 70 years? Why are we not planning for the next academic year in advance? We must find a permanent solution and fulfill our responsibility to the students and parents, who repose their trust in us," he said.
