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Hyderabad, Oct 22 (IANS) Private professional colleges in Telangana have again decided to go on an indefinite strike from November 3 demanding release of free reimbursement dues from the state government.
The Federation of Associations of Telangana Higher Education (FATHI) on Wednesday sent a strike notice to Deputy Chief Minister Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka and Chief Secretary Ramakrishna Rao.
They demanded that the government release dues of at least Rs 900 crore before November 1, otherwise they will be forced to close the colleges from November 3.
The federation had earlier set a deadline of October 12 for the government to release the dues and had threatened to go on strike from October 13.
The colleges, including engineering, pharma, nursing, MBA, MCA and B.Ed colleges, had launched an indefinite strike on September 15, but they called off the strike the same day after assurance from the government.
Fathi said Deputy Chief Minister Vikramarka, who led the group of ministers in talks with him, had assured that Rs 600 crore would be released for free reimbursement dues on September 21-22, but only Rs 200 crore was released.
He said the Deputy Chief Minister had also assured that the dues of Rs 1,200 crore would be released by Diwali.
Fathi had also made it clear that further talks on the outstanding amount would be held only with the Chief Minister’s Office (CMO).
He also said that, if necessary, he would stage a ‘Chalo Hyderabad’ protest with the students.
The federation had last month said that fee reimbursement dues worth Rs 10,000 crore were pending. It had sought immediate release of Rs 1,200 crore belonging to the tokens already generated.
Meanwhile, Union Minister of State for Home Bandi Sanjay Kumar alleged that the government was playing with the future of students by not releasing the dues of fee reimbursement.
He accused the government of resorting to blackmail to silence the managements of the colleges. Saying that BJP will stand with the colleges, he asked them not to postpone their strike.
–IANS
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