Key Takeaways:
- Telangana releases Rs.365.75 crore to clear pending scholarship dues for BC, SC and Tribal students.
- Breakdown: Rs.21.62 crore to BC Welfare, Rs.191.63 crore to SC Welfare, Rs.152.59 crore to Tribal Welfare.
- Deputy Chief Minister Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka ordered a one-time clearance despite fiscal constraints.
- Finance and Welfare officials reviewed the payment at Praja Bhavan, signalling an administrative push to support education access.
Telangana scholarship dues cleared with Rs.365.75 Cr release
Hyderabad — The Telangana government has moved to clear long-pending scholarship arrears, releasing Rs.365.75 crore on the orders of Deputy Chief Minister Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka. The one-time payment settles bills accumulated during the previous administration and targets students from backward classes, scheduled castes and scheduled tribes.
Deputy Chief Minister Bhatti Vikramarka explained that the government has prioritised education for marginalised communities even amid fiscal pressures. “We will not compromise on education,” he said, adding that clearing outstanding dues was essential to ensure students receive the support they are entitled to without further delay.
Telangana scholarship dues paid to BC, SC and Tribal departments
Finance Department officials disbursed the funds on Monday evening following the Deputy Chief Minister’s directive. Of the total Rs.365.75 crore, Rs.21.62 crore has been allocated to the BC Welfare department, Rs.191.63 crore to the SC Welfare department and Rs.152.59 crore to the Tribal Welfare department. The payments are intended to resolve stipend and scholarship claims that had remained unpaid since the previous government’s tenure.
The move was reviewed at a meeting held at Praja Bhavan, attended by senior officials from the Finance and Welfare Departments. Finance Department Principal Secretary Sandeep Kumar Sultania and other key officials participated in the session, which focused on the operational aspects of releasing the arrears and ensuring rapid credit to beneficiaries.
Officials said the decision to settle arrears in one tranche was designed to reduce administrative backlog and minimise further disruption to students’ education. Many recipients depend on scholarship payments for tuition, books and other essential expenses, and delays can have a direct impact on enrolment and retention.
Government sources noted that the payments address a backlog of bills raised under the previous administration. By clearing these dues now, the present government aims to demonstrate a commitment to social welfare and to remove financial obstacles facing disadvantaged students.
Commenting on fiscal constraints, a senior official acknowledged that the state faces competing demands on its budget but said the administration considered the disbursement an urgent priority. The official added that mechanisms were being examined to prevent future accumulation of arrears and to streamline the scholarship payment process.
Education and welfare advocates welcomed the decision, noting it should bring immediate relief to thousands of students across the state. They urged continued monitoring to ensure payments reach intended beneficiaries quickly and to verify that systems are strengthened to avoid recurrence of such delays.
As the state government moves to implement the payments, district-level officials will be expected to confirm receipt and distribution. The clearance of these arrears is likely to provide short-term financial relief to many households and send a signal of administrative responsiveness ahead of the coming academic terms.
Telangana’s action to settle pending scholarship claims highlights the role of targeted fiscal measures in supporting equitable access to education. The state has signalled that, despite constrained resources, it will pursue policies that uphold educational support for marginalised communities.
