Rs 143 cr spent on infrastructure facilities in social welfare hostels

Vijayawada: Social Welfare Minister Dola Bala Veeranjaneya Swamy has announced that the State government had spent Rs 143 crore in the last financial year to provide basic infrastructure facilities and for repairs in the hostels run by social welfare department across the State. He said the government will distribute cosmetic kits to students once in every two months from the next academic year and will serve good quality food.

On Wednesday, Bala Veeranjaneya Swamy along with Minister for Women and Child Welfare and Tribal Welfare Gummadi Sandhya Rani handed over cash awards, mementoes and merit certificates to 315 talented students, who achieved excellent results in SSC and Intermediate examinations. The two Ministers were the chief guests for the cash awards distribution programme held at Tummalapalli Kalakshetram.

Addressing the students, teachers and parents, Veeranjaneya Swamy said that doctors will be appointed in hostels to take care of the students staying in Gurukula schools.

He said the government is providing facility to stay in the hostels during summer to those students, who do not have guardians. He urged teachers to work with the objective of achieving 100 per cent results in Gurukula and hostels run by social welfare departments.

Minister G Sandhya Rani said that she was delighted to hand over the merit certificates and cash prizes to the talented tribal students on the death anniversary of freedom fighter Alluri Sitarama Raju.

She said 34 merit students got cash prizes, with first prize is Rs 20,000, second prize Rs 15,000 and third prize is Rs 10,000. She said the tribal students are reaching greater heights with the financial assistance given by the government and infrastructure facilities in the hostels and schools. She reminded that it was former CM NT Rama Rao, who laid foundation for the development of Gurukula schools. She informed that 2.36 lakh students are studying in 551 Ashram schools, 1,958 tribal primary schools, 199 residential schools across the State.

The Ministers have felicitated 36 teachers and staff for their services in the social welfare and tribal welfare departments.

Principal Secretary of social welfare and tribal welfare department MM Naik, social welfare secretary V Prasanna Venkatesh, director Lavanya Veni, tribal welfare department secretary G Gautami and officials, staff, parents and students attended the programme.