On the New Year's Eve, Telangana's Irrigation & Civil Supplies Minister N Uttam Kumar Reddy made the celebrations special for students at the Social Welfare Residential Junior College in Huzurnagar.

He had dinner with the students, spent time talking to them and shared heartfelt moments to welcome the New Year.

His visit was a thoughtful gesture aimed at bringing joy to students of Scheduled Caste (SC) and weaker sections, who live away from their families while pursuing their education.

In response to the request made by the students, Uttam sanctioned Rs 10 lakh for the college furniture, Rs 5 lakh for library books and Rs 5 lakh to improve sports facilities from his Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA) funds.

During his interaction with the students, the minister spoke about the importance of integrated residential schools in transforming Telangana's education system.

He explained how these schools, equipped with modern facilities, will give students from all backgrounds — SC, Scheduled Tribe (ST), Backward Classes (BC), minorities and others — a competitive edge at the national level. The initiative, he said, is part of the Congress government's vision to make quality education accessible to all, ensuring equal opportunities for success.

The minister also highlighted the government's flagship project, the Young India Integrated Residential School Complexes, which promises state-of-the-art infrastructure for both education and extracurricular activities.

The first of these schools, being built in Gaddipalli with a budget of Rs 200 crore, will serve as a model for future institutions across the state.

He shared that Phase-I of the project will include 28 schools, with another 26 planned in Phase II.

Uttam highlighted the recently introduced Common Diet Menu programme, which standardises food preparation and ensures safe and nutritious meals for nearly eight lakh students. He explained that this initiative is part of a larger effort to provide consistent and high-quality care for students in government residential schools and hostels.