Hyderabad: Telangana chief minister A Revanth Reddy who also holds the portfolio of education, stated that he chose to keep the department to himself to ensure an increased budget for education from 7 percent at present, to 15 percent, in the near future.
Addressing students at the Mogiligidda High School school in Mogiligidda village, Rangareddy district, on the occasion of its 150th-year celebrations, Reddy emphasised the state government’s commitment to quality education and skill development and added that discussions are ongoing with Stanford University for potential collaboration with the state’s upcoming Skill University.
He spoke about prominent figures such as Burgula Ramakrishna Rao, the first chief minister of the Hyderabad State after its merger with the Indian Union, former Andhra Pradesh chief minister Marri Chenna Reddy, former minister Srinivas Rao, and Satyanarayana Reddy, all of whom completed their schooling at Mogiligidda High School. He also highlighted the legacy of freedom fighter Turrebaaz Khan, who waged a militant struggle against the British forces at the British Residency in Kothi and was arrested from Mogiligidda village before being martyred.
He also said there is a huge difference with respect to students enrolled in government and private schools with the latter showing remarkable performance.
At the Mogiligidda village, he stated that the state had sanctioned an advanced technology centre for skills development for SSC and intermediate pass-outs in Mogiligidda, along with Rs 16 crore for the construction of a new school block, library, gram panchayat office, and CC roads in the village.
He also mentioned that the state government was considering the construction of a minorities’ community hall in the village soon.
The state government is planning to increase the budgetary allocation to education from the existing 7 per cent to 15 per cent gradually.
The state government has allotted Rs 21,000 crore for the education sector in this year’s budget, he said. Reddy noted that as soon as the Congress came to power in Telangana, Vice Chancellors were appointed for universities.
He further said the state government within one year of its rule promoted as many as 21,000 school teachers and also effected transfers of 35,000 school teachers without any complaints.
The CM added that the state government has also increased diet and cosmetic charges to students by 200 percent so that they need not depend on their parents for petty expenditure.
Revanth Reddy further said the government is also setting up Young India Sports University under the PPP model to encourage talent not only from Telangana but also across the country. According to him, some of the educational institutions are losing their sheen which is not good for society.
(With inputs from PTI)
