Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu has approved the proposal to clear the dues of ₹110 crore diet charges and ₹20.5 crore cosmetic charges of the BC Welfare hostels in the State.The dues were kept pending by the previous YSRCP government, said S. Savitha, Minister for BC Welfare, while addressing the media at the Secretariat after attending a meeting with the Chief Minister.The YSRCP government did not clear the food and cosmetic bills for the students studying in the hostels since August last, she said.The Minister further said that the Chief Minister also sanctioned ₹10 crore for repairing BC hostels. Another ₹25 crore was sanctioned for beds, glasses and others to be distributed to the students, the Minister said.Ms. Savitha said the Chief Minister instructed that SR Sankaran Resource Centres be established in all the welfare hostels to enable the students to access digital content.The Minister said the previous government did not release matching grant for pre-matric and post-matric scholarship being offered by the Central government, and hence the students of Andhra Pradesh lost more than ₹650 crore.“Now, the Chief Minister has sanctioned ₹89 crore as matching grant to the Central government’s ₹133.7 crore for the same scheme,” the Minister said.She said the government would restart the BC IAS Study Circle with minimum of 100 students and provide coaching for those preparing for competitive exams such as UPSC. For this purpose, the Chief Minister sanctioned ₹10 crore, she said.Reintroducing the Videsi Vidya scheme, the Chief Minister instructed that financial assistance be provided to the students gaining admission in world’s best universities.The Chief Minister also sanctioned ₹8 crore for the incomplete BC Bhavans in Srikakulam, Chittoor and Kurnool districts. The government would sanction BC Bhavans in the remaining districts as well, she added. “The government has decided to write a letter to the Central government to increase BC representation in law-making houses,” she said. The Chief Minister also instructed the officials to to prepare a draft Bill on BC Protection.The Minister further wanted that the existing corporations be restructured to provide maximum benefit to the 139 BC sub-castes. Published – September 18, 2024 04:04 am IST