Health minister C. Damodar Rajanarsimha on Tuesday announced that the state government will soon appoint a Fee Regulatory Committee to regulate the fee structure in private schools.
Hyderabad:Health minister C. Damodar Rajanarsimha on Tuesday announced that the state government will soon appoint a Fee Regulatory Committee to regulate the fee structure in private schools.
Speaking in the Assembly on behalf of the Chief Minister during the debate on demands for grants for the education department, the minister said the move follows a surge in complaints from parents over arbitrary fee hikes.
He said the government had constituted an Education Commission to examine the issue and its recommendations, including fee regulation, was under the consideration of the government.
The minister expressed concern over the declining number of students in government educational institutions over the eight years, calling it a worrying trend. He revealed that 662 residential schools are currently functioning from rented premises, where nearly two lakh students are coping with inadequate facilities.
He attributed the situation to the negligence of the previous BRS government. “While sanctioning schools is a good step, ensuring basic facilities is equally important,” he said.
Rajanarsimha stressed the need for safe and well-equipped learning environments. “There should not be a situation where parents are afraid to send their children to school,” he said, adding that corrective steps have already been initiated. The government is focusing on providing spacious classrooms, science laboratories, clean washrooms, and safe drinking water in all schools.
He also praised the capabilities of government teachers, stating that all of them are meritorious, and urged them to take full ownership of the institutions they serve.
He said that ‘Young India Residential Schools’ will be established with an investment of `11,600 crore to bolster the state’s education infrastructure.
Rajnarsimha said the government was implementing recommendations of the Education Commission to improve the education system. As part of reforms, over 11,000 teachers have been recruited and vice chancellors appointed for 12 universities. New academic courses have also been introduced.
To enhance higher education, Telangana universities have entered into partnerships with multinational companies and international institutions. A dedicated committee is already discussing key issues in higher education, including detention policies, student dropouts, multiple entry-exit options, and implementation of a common syllabus. The government will act based on the committee’s report, he assured.
Responding to the debate on roads and buildings, minister Komatireddy Venkat Reddy assured the House that no tolls will be collected on roads constructed under the hybrid annuity model (HAM). He said the state government will contribute 40 per cent of the funding, while the remaining 60 per cent will be secured through loans.
Venkat Reddy slammed the previous BRS government for its “complete neglect” of road development. He credited the Congress regime for key infrastructure projects like the PVNR Expressway, Outer Ring Road (ORR), and the Hyderabad Metro Rail.
He also alleged irregularities in the Hyderabad ORR toll collection agreement, which was leased by the BRS government for `7,300 crore just before the 2023 Assembly elections.
The R&B minister accused the BRS government of delaying the Hyderabad Regional Ring Road (RRR) project for nine years due to confrontational politics with the Centre. He said the Congress government has now revived and accelerated the project by engaging with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and relevant union ministers.
He also promised to complete the long-pending Uppal flyover within 18 months — a project the BRS government allegedly failed to complete in a decade.
