Gurukulams groan under rental burden

Khammam: The Gurukulams set up for children hailing from SC, ST, minorities and backward classes are mostly run in rented buildings. As the government dithers on clearing rental bills, the arrears are mounting. Each Gurukul has to pay rents ranging from Rs1.5 lakh to more than Rs2 lakh a month depending on the area. At some places, owners vexed over the delay are locking up the buildings.

Officials are hard put to convince them about payments and at some places they succeeded in getting the locks removed. Sensing the urgency of the situation, the government is said to be seized of the issue and making arrangements for funds release. The owners resent that the arrears have piled up for more than six to nine months. In the past, they used to get rents every two or three months. It is estimated that there is an outstanding balance of Rs.3.41 crore in the district.

There are four SC Gurukuls in the district, operating from rented buildings. Each is taken up for a monthly rent of around Rs2 lakh. In their case, the payment has been pending for the last seven months and the total amount accumulated to Rs56 lakh.

Out of a total of 16 BC Gurukulams, only two have their own buildings. For the remaining 14 Gurukuls, the rent is Rs1.5 lakh to around Rs2 lakh. For them, too the government has kept the pending in abeyance, thus letting the arrears mount to Rs 1.89 crore. Eight minority Gurukulams in rented buildings are also facing the same fate of negligence by the government. The owners rue that they have not been paid rents for six months. The government has to clear about Rs 96 lakh.