HYDERABAD: Amidst the protests by BRS MLAs, the state Assembly passed three bills — the Young India Physical Education and Sports University of Telangana Bill, 2024, the Telangana Universities (Amendment) Bill, 2014, and Telangana Good and Services Tax (Amendment) Bill, 2024 — on Tuesday.
The Bills were passed even as the BRS MLAs, wearing black shirts, staged a protest in the Well of the House and BJP MLAs protested demanding legal sanctity for six guarantees that the Congress promised before the elections.
Forests, Environment and Science & Technology Minister Konda Surekha moved the Telangana Good and Services Tax (Amendment) Bill, 2024. Tourism and Culture Minister Jupally Krishna Rao moved the Telangana Universities (Amendment) Bill, 2014 and Industries and Commerce Minister D Sridhar Babu moved the Telangana Good and Services Tax (Amendment) Bill, 2024. The government also tabled the statement mentioning the reasons that necessitated formulating of the Bills.
The Young India Physical Education and Sports University of Telangana Bill, 2024, was designed to meet the vision of CM A Revanth Reddy to achieve Olympic medals. The proposed sports university aims to facilitate and promote education and research in sports studies and allied fields, and build a complete ecosystem where sports can flourish both professionally and economically. The proposed varsity will stand as a centre of excellence for athletes and trainees in helping them with the national and international best practices.
The government estimates that for establishing the sports university, it requires Rs 185 crore and an additional amount of Rs 65 crore to Rs 70 crore towards operational cost. The government hopes to pull in around Rs 5 crores if it charges Rs 50,000 per course annually. It also intends to collect around Rs 225 crore from private players.
Through the Universities (Amendment) Bill, 2024, the government proposes to rechristen the ‘Telangana Mahila Vishwavidyalayam to “Veeranari Chakali Ilamma Women’s University”, besides scheduling it under the Telangana Universities Act, 1991.