Officials asked to release Rs 100 cr towards scholarships

Hyderabad, Feb 1 (UNI) Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y S Rajasekhara Reddy today directed the revenue officials to release Rs 100 crore towards Post-Matric Scholarships to the Scheduled Castes (SC) students additionally for the current year.

The Chief Minister while reviewing the latest status of budget allotments and payment of scholarships pertaining to various schemes in social welfare, BC, ST welfare also directed the finance department to pursue and get Central funds of Rs 274 crore due to the state government under post-matric scholarships.

Stating that regular maintenance of hostel and residential schools was an absolute necessity, the Chief Minister directed the finance officials to provide funds towards it ranging from Rs 10,000 to Rs 50,000 per building approximately and project them in the budget estimates of 2007-08.

Dr Reddy agreed to fill up 294 vacancies of wardens in the Social Welfare Department and directed to send proposals to the government for according permission.

He also asked the officials to finalise the locations of the 120 integrated welfare hostel complexes and call for short tenders to fix the agency for construction within a fortnight.

He directed the social welfare department to take steps to fill up 686 SC backlog posts and 1374 ST backlog posts before June this year.

While reviewing the Tribal and BC Welfare activities, the Chief Minister asked the officials to release the budget required by Tribal Welfare and BC Welfare departments in accordance with the requirements projected during the current year without imposing cuts.

On the reported accidents in social welfare hostels, he noted that 39 deaths were reported from the districts during 2005-06 of which 21 were accidental, ten due to ill health and the remaining eight due to other reasons.

He said four deaths were reported during 2006-07 and directed the officials to take all preventive steps to avoid recurrence.

UNI