Hyderabad: Telangana BJP president N. Ramchander Rao on Saturday demanded a time-bound plan to clear fee reimbursement dues. He also sought a clear schedule for payments through Direct Benefit Transfer.
Speaking at a press conference at the BJP state headquarters, Rao asked the Congress government to state when the pending amounts would be released. He also accused Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy of avoiding a clear position on the issue.
Rao rejected Revanth Reddy’s remarks in the Assembly about the BJP not raising fee reimbursement dues during the previous BRS government. He said he had raised the issue in the Legislative Council in 2017.
The BJP president claimed that pending fee reimbursement dues under successive governments had reached about Rs 15,000 crore. He said the Congress government had admitted that it inherited Rs 5,430 crore in pending payments from the BRS government.
Subsequently, Rao said the government had accumulated another Rs 6,037 crore in dues during its tenure up to 2024-25. He used these figures to press for a firm payment plan for affected students.
Rao said the BJP supported the Direct Benefit Transfer system for fee reimbursement payments. However, he demanded that the government announce when students would receive the pending amounts through the system.
He also alleged that some colleges had withheld students’ original certificates because the government had not cleared fee reimbursement dues. He called for action to ensure students did not face academic difficulties because of delayed payments.
BJP seeks action over fee reimbursement dues and college practices
Rao also demanded a comprehensive inquiry into alleged irregularities under the previous BRS government and the Congress administration. He opposed what he described as the selective targeting of colleges through vigilance raids.
The BJP leader also criticised the government over GO 97 concerning polytechnic education. He sought clarity on whether students affected by the order would remain eligible for ECET.
Rao further alleged that some polytechnic students had faced charges beyond government-set fee norms. He demanded that the government examine the issue and provide clarity to students and colleges.
He said BJP workers had collected signatures from about eight lakh students over the fee reimbursement issue. According to Rao, the Chief Minister had refused to give them an appointment to submit the petitions.
Rao also recalled protests and a hunger strike organised by the BJP over pending payments. He accused both the Congress and BRS of allowing the issue to continue.
The BJP president said the government should acknowledge its failure if it could not clear the pending amounts. At the same time, he assured students that a BJP government would clear fee reimbursement dues.
Rao linked the issue to students’ academic prospects and demanded a definite payment schedule. He maintained that the government should state when funds would reach students through the DBT mechanism.
Meanwhile, several people joined the BJP in Rao’s presence during the programme. They included a recently retired DCP, doctors, businessmen and youth from Hyderabad and Suryapet.
BJP State General Secretary Goutham Rao attended the programme. State senior leader Manohar Reddy and State Spokesperson Sambari Sarlakshmi also participated.
Suryapet District President Sreeleatha Reddy and Bhongir District President Niranjan Yadav were present. Former Hyderabad Deputy Mayor Subhash Chander and other party leaders also attended the press conference and joining programme.
The BJP used the programme to renew its demand for a clear timeline on pending student payments. Rao also sought government action on the wider issues linked to fee reimbursement and college practices.
