Sat Nov 16 21:13:53 IST 2024: **Andhra Pradesh to Build 65 New Welfare Hostels, Allocate ₹143 Crore for Maintenance**
**Ongole, Andhra Pradesh (November 16, 2024)** – The Andhra Pradesh government has announced plans to construct 65 new welfare hostels across the state, with ₹206 crore in central funding and ₹15 crore allocated in the state budget. Social Welfare Minister Dola Sree Bala Veeranjaneya Swamy revealed that while funding is secured, a technical delay has pushed back the tender process to January 2025. Construction is expected to begin within the current fiscal year.
The minister also highlighted a ₹143 crore allocation for the maintenance of existing 840 welfare hostels, with funds available for use by the first week of December. He contrasted this with what he described as the underfunding of hostels during the previous YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) regime, stating that the current NDA government is significantly increasing investment in hostel maintenance and improvements. The minister cited the example of Palnadu district, where ₹2 crore is being allocated for hostel maintenance, compared to the previous annual allocation of ₹2.69 crore for the entire state.
Further improvements include the appointment of a dedicated medical officer in each district to oversee student health, resulting in the reported saving of several critically ill students through timely interventions involving corporate hospitals and charitable organizations. The government is also providing job opportunities to local youth as tutors and directly crediting various benefits, including scholarships and fee reimbursements, into students’ accounts.
First Piper 