HYDERABAD: Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy has urged Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman to exempt borrowings for education development in the state, including the construction of Young India Integrated Residential Schools (YIIRS), from the Fiscal Responsibility and Budget Management (FRBM) limits.
He informed the Union minister that the construction of 105 state-of-the-art YIIRS would require Rs 21,000 crore, while another Rs 9,000 crore would be needed to provide modern laboratories and infrastructure in junior, degree, technical colleges, and higher education institutions.
On Tuesday, the chief minister met Nirmala Sitharaman in Delhi, seeking the Centre’s support for Telangana’s efforts to strengthen the education sector and provide quality education to students from BC, SC, ST, and minority communities.
He also briefed her on the importance of establishing YIIRS in all 105 Assembly constituencies, with a student strength of 2,560 in each school from Classes V to XII. A total of 2.7 lakh students would gain access to quality education through these schools, which, he said, would also serve as educational hubs for nearby government schools, indirectly benefiting lakhs of students.
Urging the Union minister to view expenditure on education as an investment in human resource development, Revanth sought exemption from FRBM limits for loans raised through an SPC (Special Purpose Centre) for this purpose.
Praising the Telangana government’s vision, particularly the proposal to establish YIIRS, Nirmala Sitharaman suggested that the chief minister provide detailed information on the SPC.
In another meeting with Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, Revanth urged the Centre to sanction an Indian Institute of Management (IIM) for Hyderabad, as well as Kendriya Vidyalayas and Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalayas in identified areas of the state.
200 acres of land identified for IIM: CM
Describing Hyderabad as a rapidly growing hub for technology, life sciences, aerospace, defence, logistics and advanced manufacturing, Revanth said there was an urgent need to establish an IIM in the city. Pointing out that 21 IIMs have been set up across 19 states and one Union Territory, he said the Centre should consider sanctioning one to Telangana as well.
He informed the Union minister that 200 acres of land required for the IIM have already been identified at the University of Hyderabad campus and that a transit facility is ready to immediately commence classes.
Highlighting Hyderabad’s air, road and rail connectivity to all parts of the country and its conducive environment for nurturing top-notch talent across diverse fields, he said the establishment of an IIM would enhance opportunities for students from poor and middle-class backgrounds in Telangana.
The chief minister also appealed to the Union minister to sanction nine new Kendriya Vidyalayas and 16 Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalayas in line with the increased number of districts in Telangana. He sought the immediate establishment of Kendriya Vidyalayas in Komaram Bheem Asifabad, Jayashankar Bhupalpally, Kamareddy, Jogulamba Gadwal, Narayanpet, Nagarkurnool, Suryapet, Vikarabad, and Nirmal districts, and Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalayas in Hanamkonda, Jangaon, Jayashankar Bhupalpally, Jogulamba Gadwal, Mahbubabad, Medchal–Malkajgiri, Medak, Mulugu, Narayanpet, Peddapalli, Rajanna Sircilla, Vikarabad, Wanaparthy, Yadadri Bhuvanagiri, Nirmal and Adilabad districts.
The state government is ready to provide the necessary land and other facilities for these institutions, he said.
