Uttam slams BRS Govt for neglect of students & youth

Hyderabad: Congress MP and Huzurnagar candidate N Uttam Kumar Reddy has launched a scathing attack on the BRS government, accusing it of betraying the students and jobless youth across Telangana State over the past nine years.

       Addressing a meeting with students and youth in Kodad on Thursday, Uttam Kumar Reddy, alongside Telangana Jana Samithi president Prof M Kodandaram and Kodad candidate N Padmavathi, lambasted the K Chandrashekhar Rao government for its abysmal record in addressing the concerns of the youth. He said, “Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao has shattered the dreams and aspirations of lakhs of students and youth,”. He pointed out the devastating impact of the government’s failure to provide Fee Reimbursement, which forced thousands of students to abandon their higher education aspirations.

       “The state government owes Rs 4,592 crore in fee reimbursement and scholarship dues, jeopardizing the futures of around 15 lakh students,” Uttam Kumar Reddy stated. He highlighted the government’s blatant disregard for the High Court’s directive to release funds in three instalments per academic year, opting instead for partial biennial disbursements. “This delay has compelled numerous students to either drop out or resort to high-interest loans to continue their education,” he lamented. He also drew attention to the Fee Regulatory Committee’s fee hikes for various courses, while the government’s fee reimbursement amounts remained stagnant. “For instance, while the fee for a PG course in a private college stands at Rs 37,700, the reimbursement is a meagre Rs 20,000, leaving students to shoulder the additional burden,” he explained.

       Uttam Kumar Reddy also exposed the KCR government’s rampant mismanagement of funds and revealed that it had diverted 60% of the scholarship funds allocated by the Centre for SC and ST students to other purposes. He also pointed out that over 4,000 sanctioned posts across universities remain unfilled, severely impacting the quality of education. “Institutions like Osmania, Kakatiya, Mahatma Gandhi, and Palamuru Universities are reeling under a severe faculty shortage,” he added.

       Uttam Kumar Reddy emphasized that the ‘Hyderabad Youth Declaration’ unveiled by Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi in May this year outlines a comprehensive plan for employment generation and educational reforms. “The Congress party is committed to filling two lakh vacancies within the first year of returning to power, establishing a Youth Commission, setting up employment and skill training centres, upgrading universities, and providing free e-scooters to female students above 18 years, among other initiatives,” he declared.

       Explaining the power of Sonia Gandhi’s six guarantees, he asserted that they would serve as a game changer for Telangana’s youth. “These guarantees will be implemented within 100 days of the Congress forming the government in Telangana,” he vowed. The six guarantees include financial assistance of Rs 2,500 for all women, free bus travel for women and students, subsidized cooking gas at Rs 500 under the Mahalakshmi Scheme; financial aid of Rs 15,000 per acre annually to farmers and tenant farmers, with additional benefits for paddy cultivators and farm labourers under the Rythu Bharosa Scheme; Free electricity up to 200 units for households under the Gruha Jyothi Initiative; Land and Rs 5 lakh for construction of the house for homeless families; Empowerment of youth through coverage of coaching fees, job creation, and establishment of International Schools in every district under the Yuva Vikasa Scheme and a comprehensive welfare plan providing monthly pensions to vulnerable groups, financial assistance to Dalit and tribal communities, and a health insurance plan under the Cheyutha Scheme