In a major achievement, the Minorities Welfare Department (MWD) has obtained the government’s administrative sanction to establish 12 residential schools, 20 post-matric and 10 pre-matric hostels, besides one working women hostel. This will effectively take care of Rs.200 crore of the budgetary allocation, which otherwise ran the risk of getting lapsed.
The government is expected to release Rs.50 crore this year to enable construction of the hostels in Kadapa, Kurnool, Warangal, Nellore, Krishna, Medak, Nizambad, Hyderabad and Ranga Reddy districts. Government land for the hostels has already been identified and tenders floated for construction of six of them.
In Hyderabad, one hostel each for girls and working women will be built at Guddimalkapur, and two boys’ hostels will come up at Madannapet. The cost of each hostel is Rs.2.20 crore while that of a residential school is Rs.14.5 crore.
“There is an urgent need for good buildings as at present the hostels and residential schools are functioning in cramped private premises unfit for habitation. With good hostels, the student strength will also go up,” said Minorities Welfare Commissioner Shaikh Mohd. Iqbal.
However, doubts persist about the full utilisation of the Rs.23.45 crore budget of A.P. State Christian (Minorities) Finance Corporation. Mr. Iqbal, however, is confident of spending the money before the financial year ends.
