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Telangana scraps FAST scheme
In a major relief for the students, particularly those hailing from Andhra Pradesh, the Telangana government has decided to drop the proposal to introduce FAST (Financial Assistance to the Students of Telangana) scheme. The Chief Minister who chaired the meeting of the State Cabinet disclosed this at a press conference on Friday.
Hyderabad: In a major relief for the students, particularly those hailing from Andhra Pradesh, the Telangana government has decided to drop the proposal to introduce FAST (Financial Assistance to the Students of Telangana) scheme. The Chief Minister who chaired the meeting of the State Cabinet disclosed this at a press conference on Friday. He said that the government would continue with the existing system of fee reimbursement as per the Article 371(D), a special provision under which there will be equitable opportunities and facilities for all.
- FAST had stipulated 1956 as cut-off year to determine nativity
- It caused great anguish to students from AP and TS also
- Two Congress leaders challenged the decision in the HC
- HC asked for counter reply, but TS could not file the same
- Govt clears `800 cr arrears for fee reimbursement
- Following this, the `1,800-cr burden on TS govt cleared
Under the FAST scheme, the TS government had fixed 1956 as the cut-off year for determining the nativity of a student. This means that the students whose parents settled here before 1956 would only be ineligible for the FAST scheme. This had resulted in a major controversy and both the TS and the Andhra Pradesh governments locked horns over the issue.
Soon after the Telangana government issued a GO constituting a committee to formulate detailed guidelines for the FAST, AP ministers and leaders said that the 1956 cutoff date was anti-constitutional and was in violation of the AP State Reorganisation Act, as admissions and fee were interlinked. They discussed the issue with the Advocate General and decided to challenge it in the court.
Alleging that Chief Minister Chandrashekar Rao was functioning like a dictator and riding roughshod over the rights of the students, the Ministers said his actions had been causing anguish to the students pursuing higher education courses and waiting for EAMCET counselling for fresh admissions.
Two former ministers in the undivided Andhra Pradesh, Pithani Satyanarayana and Dokka Manikya Varaprasada Rao, challenged the decision in the High Court, saying that it would go against the spirit of the Constitution. The Court had asked the Telangana government to file a counter affidavit, explaining its stand. But the government could not file affidatvit. On the other hand, it told the court that the guidelines were not yet finalised.
Meanwhile, the State cabinet on Friday decided to clear the fee reimbursement dues of Rs 862 crore. KCR rued that the previous government did not clear the fee reimbursement dues for four years and the Telangana government inherited them. He said there were arrears of about 1,800 crore which accumulated over a period of four years and the government had recently released about Rs 1,000 crore.
