Merger of State-run study circles mooted

Chief Minister N. Kiran Kumar Reddy has suggested that the study circles run by different government departments in the districts be merged to provide better support to the educated youth seeking employment.

A unified study circle would provide a better platform for the youth to get trained and become ready for employment, he said addressing the first-ever State-level Conference of BC Welfare Department Officers here on Tuesday.

The government was adding seven more study circles to include all the districts, he added.

The officers must work to modernise and enhance traditional occupations and make it economically viable to provide a sustainable livelihood to those who choose to continue in it and also take steps to improve its social status, he said.

The Chief Minister urged the officers to lay emphasis on education of youth. They should ensure that the children in the hostels are given the best facilities possible, he added.

The government has enhanced the budgetary allocation for BC Welfare Department and this year Rs. 3017 crore was allocated, Mr. Reddy said and added that money was not a constraint if it achieves results. Government was going to conduct a mid-term review of the performance of the Department, and the funds would be withdrawn from non-performing activities, he added.

Minister for Backward Classes Welfare Basavaraj Saraiah said that the budgetary allocation for BC Welfare Department had increased exponentially only under the present regime and urged the officials to work hard to ensure that the beneficiaries gained from the higher allocations. The government has increased the allocations to different federations too, he added.

The Chief Minister launched the website of the BC Welfare Department. Principal Secretary BC Welfare A K Parida, Vice-Chairman and Managing Director of AP BC Cooperative Finance Corporation N Krishna, Director BC Welfare Syed Omar Jaleel and others were present.