HYDERABAD: The threat of closing down colleges from February 7 seems to have worked as the state government issued various government orders for release of `1,000 crore towards fee reimbursement on Monday.
It had also released `259 crore a couple of days ago. The total amount of `1,259 crore equals 33 per cent of total fee reimbursement and scholarships for 201112. "As the government has agreed to make a part payment, we have decided not close our colleges from Tuesday," the Consortium of Engineering and Professional Colleges Managements' Association secretary G Panduranga Reddy said. The government has assured to release 50 per cent of the remaining dues by March 15 and the rest by June 15, he added. "The government will also pay 100 percent of dues for SC, ST students in the next few days," Panduranga Reddy said.
The consortium leaders said that the PCC president Botcha Satyanarayana had ensured release of funds by coordinating with deputy chief minister Damodara Rajanarasimha, social welfare minister Pitani Satyanarayana and finance minister Anam Ramanarayana Reddy.
Earlier in the day, minister for social welfare Pitani Satyanaryana warned of cancellation of affiliation of colleges if the managements continue to threaten on issues like fee reimbursement. The budget allocation for postmatric scholarships includes `2,904.83 crore towards fee reimbursement and `990.3 crore towards scholarships, the minister said.