CM Revanth Reddy releases ₹60 crore from CMRF for welfare hostels across Telangana, while BRS leader Harish Rao criticises the Congress government for inadequate Gurukul funding.

Hyderabad: Telangana Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy on Monday sanctioned ₹60 crore from the Chief Minister’s Relief Fund (CMRF) to support welfare hostels catering to BC, SC, ST, and minority students across the state. The amount, according to the CMO, will be used to meet emergency needs such as diet expenses, staff payments, and maintenance works in over 1,000 residential hostels.

At a review meeting with senior officials, the CM directed departments to prioritise transparency, accountability, and digital monitoring in hostel administration. He emphasised the use of facial recognition systems for staff and students, real-time food quality checks via a mobile app, and stronger medical linkages with local hospitals and colleges to ensure student well-being.

Revanth Reddy also asked district collectors to conduct frequent inspections and to upload daily operational data to a central dashboard. Plans for a 24-hour doctor helpline and ed-tech support for competitive exam preparation were also discussed, marking a shift towards a more data-driven welfare model.

However, the move drew sharp criticism from BRS leader T. Harish Rao, who termed the allocation “shamefully small.” Rao argued that ₹60 crore was insufficient for the 1,024 Gurukuls where over 6.5 lakh students study. “The Congress boasts about spending ₹12,000 crore on new Gurukuls but cannot spare ₹100 crore for existing ones?” he questioned in a post on X.

He also alleged that the government’s neglect had forced students into protests over teacher shortages and poor food quality in several Gurukuls, including Chegunta in Medak district. Rao urged the state to clear pending dues, fix infrastructure issues, and prioritise student welfare instead of publicity campaigns.

Analysis: The contrasting narratives reveal a deeper battle between welfare promises and fiscal execution. While Revanth’s digital reforms could modernise hostel management, the funding gap highlighted by Harish Rao points to the broader challenge of sustaining welfare infrastructure. For Telangana’s marginalized students, the coming months will show whether these reforms translate into real change—or remain another political talking point.