BJP MLC urges govt to hike grant for advocate welfare fund

Hyderabad: BJP MLC N Ramachander Rao asked the State government to increase grant for the welfare of advocates in the State.

Raising the issue during the discussion on the budget for the financial year of 2019-20 in the State Legislative Council on Sunday, he asked the government to provide a matching grant to the compensation of Rs 4 lakh which is provided by the Bar Council of India (BCI) to the advocates.

For this, he asked State Finance Minister T Harish Rao to increase and double the State government's allocation for the welfare of advocates. Responding to the same, the Finance Minister said that the State government would look into the suggestion.

Recalling the services of the advocates during the freedom struggle and separate movement for Telangana, he said the State government has formed an independent committee to look after the welfare measures and to administer the funds allocated to the advocates.

Harish Rao also assured the BJP member that the process of appointment of vice-chancellors to various universities in the State has already been taken up.

Similarly, the government has already given permission for the appointment of teachers in the universities. But, a case filed by a BJP member stalled the process and asked the BJP MLC to take steps for the withdrawal of the cases.

The Minister said the appointment of the district judges and judicial officers are being handled by the State High Court.

While the process of the district judges is on notification for the recruitment of judicial officers in the local courts is already issued.

"We hope that the appoint process will be completed within next two to three months," he said.