Hyderabad: The NDA government appears to be tightening funding to states for educational institutions under centrally sponsored schemes.
Senior officials point out that funding has not been “as liberal as that in the previous UPA regime.”
The Centre provides funding under Rashtriya Uchchatar Shiksha Abhiyan and Rashtriya Madhyamik Shiksha Abhiyan to improve facilities for educational institutions and set up new ones.
An official said, “The Centre says it will fund autonomous colleges. When we ask for funding for post graduate colleges to upgrade them, the centre is not ready. They are restricting funding to the colleges that really need the money.”
Last year, the Telangana government received Rs 1.4 crore to prepare project reports for the Project Approval Board.
In the last PAB meeting, less than half the funds earmarked under Rusa in different states were approved. Those fund releases were also subject to further detailed reports.
Officials said many colleges in AP and Telangana are awaiting grants from the Centre. “Many proposals have been submitted but nothing has been accepted. We will try again,” another official said.
The next PAB meeting would be held later this month. The government has prepared proposals for colleges in Siddipet, Adilabad and other districts in Telangana, the official said.
Both Telangana and Andhra Pradesh are also compiling their lists of demands and grants to be presented to the Union HRD Ministry during the state education ministers meet on Tuesday.
