Hyderabad, Nov 4 (IANS) The Telangana government on Tuesday constituted a committee for the mobilisation of finances for the fee-reimbursement scheme as the private professional colleges across Telangana remained closed for the second day to demand the release of pending dues.

The committee, comprising officials and representatives from the Federation of Associations of Telangana Higher Institutions (FATHI), will study a sustainable free reimbursement scheme through the Trust Bank.

According to the GO, the committee has been constituted as a follow-up to certain suggestions made during the talks between Deputy Chief Minister Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka with FATHI to improve the higher education system, mobilise finances for free re-imbursement schemes and set up a dedicated institutional mechanism.

The panel will be headed by the Special Chief Secretary, Welfare, with Principal Secretary, Finance as vice-chairman.

Secretaries of Education, Scheduled Caste Development, Backward Classes Welfare, Tribal Welfare departments, the chairman of the State Council of Higher Education and the Commissioner, Scheduled Caste Development are the members.

Academicians Prof Kancha Ilaiah and Prof Kodandaram have also been named as members. Three representatives of FATHI will also be members of the committee.

According to the Government Order issued by the Chief Secretary, the committee will study a sustainable free reimbursement scheme through the Trust Bank, suggest a transparent and sustainable framework to rationalise fee reimbursement policy and examine and give suitable suggestions for improving the higher education system.

The committee will hold deliberations and examine suggestions and proposals, and submit a report to the government within a period of three months for taking further necessary action.

On a call given by FATHI, around 2,000 professional colleges, including engineering, pharmacy, MBA, MCA, B.Ed and nursing institutions, launched an indefinite shutdown on Monday.

The managements of the colleges said they were unable to run their institutions due to non-payment of dues.

According to FATHI, the total arrears under the fee reimbursement scheme are to the tune of Rs 10,000 crore. Its leaders said that during the talks held in September, the government had promised to release Rs 1,200 crore in dues before Diwali, but only Rs 300 crore has been disbursed so far.

–IANS

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