KCR bites the bullet

• New scheme FAST to replace fee reimbursement
• Master plan for Hyderabad, global tenders invited
• Loan waiver scheme costs Rs 17,000 to Rs 19,000 cr
• Rejects Centre’s move to vest absolute power with Governor
• 12 per cent reservation for Minorities and STs
• Sops to Telangana martyrs’ families
• Rs 1000 pension for the aged and widows
• To withdraw cases against Telangnaa activists
• Regularisation of contract workers in govt depts
• Prof. Jayashankar Agriculture University and P V Narasimha Rao Veterinary University
• Ratifies creation of State Advisory Council
• Creation of Telangana Public Service Commission and T Tourism Corporation
• Appoints senior TRS leader K Prabhkar as MLC Kalyana Laxmi scheme for SCs and STs

Hyderabad: The Telangana government on Wednesday decided the scrap the fee reimbursement scheme and announced a new one called FAST-(Financial Assistance to Students from Telangana). This scheme will be applicable for all those who are staying in Telangana from 1956. According to the government it will be a better scheme than fee reimbursement.

Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao who briefed the media about the decisions of the cabinet said fee reimbursement was a big scam that had taken place during the regime of previous governments and his government would probe into it. There would be no fee reimbursement in T government. The AP government should bear the fee reimbursement of their students. Rao said the state cabinet had decided to name the proposed new veterinary university after P V Narasimha Rao.

In a major decision, the cabinet decided not to accept the circular sent by Union Home Ministry vesting absolute powers with the Governor. He said if the Centre insisted, his government would launch a massive protest against the centre. In regard to EAMCET, the Chief Minister said the government had approached the apex court to postpone the dates for counselling. “We hope the court will give its verdict in its favour,” he said. The cabinet also decided to open toddy shops in twin cities by Dussera.

He said the cabinet ratified the proposal to provide Rs 10 lakh ex-gratia to the families of the Telangana martyrs from 1969 Telangana movement to the formation of T state. Housing, agricultural land and job to one of the eligible kin of the martyrs would also be provided. KCR announced Rs 1000 pension scheme for the elderly and widows and Rs 1500 pension scheme for handicapped after Dusara and before Diwali festival.

New cards would be issued to all the eligible persons. He nounced Kalyana Laxmi scheme providing Rs 50,000 assistance to perform the marriages of eligible women in SC and ST communities. He also said the cases booked against Telangana activists from 2001 would be withdrawn. Stating that all the contract employees working in government departments would be regularised and the salaries would be increased on par with the central government scales, the CM said special increment would be given to the government employees on the occasion of the creation of Telangana state.

The cabinet decided to constitute a study committee with a High Court sitting or retired judge to study the possibility of providing 12 per cent reservation for Minorities and STs.

A Tribunal would also be created to protect the wakf properties. The cabinet approved the proposal to provide Rs 1000 crore budget for minorities in the budget.

The cabinet also ratified the constitution of Telangana State Public Service Commission (TSPSC) and State Advisory Council to advise the government on the implementation of the schemes and programmes.