TRS government committed to social welfare’

Hanumakonda: The number of residential schools in the State will increase to 464 by 2017-18, according to Deputy Chief Minister Kadiyam Srihari at Hanumakonda here on Sunday. The Deputy Chief Minister said the government has plans to set up 250 new residential schools by the next academic year and thus the total number of residential schools run by social welfare Department in the state would go up to 464.

The residential schools would offer education to over 3 lakh SC/ST/BC and minoritystudents, besides creating employment opportunities to over 14, 000 persons. This has become possible with Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao making determined efforts to strengthen social welfare residential schools, Srihari said.

He was naddressing a gathering at the third national convention of SWAEROS. It is a Social Welfare Residential Educational Institutions Society Alumni Association consisting of students, staff and former students of social welfare hostels. The students in residential schools excelled in all examinations. It proved that the students belonging to poorer sections can excel if equal opportunities were provided, he said.

He lauded the efforts being made by Telangana Social Welfare Residential Educational Institutions Society Secretary R S Praveen Kumar in strengthening and streamlining the function of social welfare schools. Ramon Magsaysay Award winner Bejawada Wilson pointed out that if the constitution was implemented in true spirit it would eradicate discrimination based on caste and other considerations. Praveen Kumar, in his address, noted that moving forward with self-confidence can ensure victory to everyone. There were SC/STs among those who scaled Mount Everest and who won Noble Prize. This year nearly 40 students of social welfare schools got medical seats, he said.