Uttam Reaffirms Congress govt’s Commitment to Making Quality Education to all Sections

Hyderabad: Irrigation and Civil Supplies Minister Uttam Kumar Reddy reaffirmed the Congress government’s commitment to making quality education accessible to all sections of society. He emphasised the need for government-driven initiatives to uplift disadvantaged groups and address long-standing gaps in the education system.

The minister was addressing the alumni meet of Dr BR Ambedkar Educational Institutions in Baghlingampally on Sunday organised as part of the institution’s golden jubilee celebrations, marking 50 years of service in education. The event coincided with the 10th death anniversary of Gaddam Venkatswamy, institution’s founder. Dignitaries, including Assembly Speaker Gaddam Prasad, Transport Minister Ponnam Prabhakar, MLAs Nagaraju and Vivek Venkataswamy, MP Gaddam Vamsi Krishna, former minister Dr P Shankar Rao, College Secretary & former minister G Vinod, and Correspondent Dr Saroja Vivek attended the event. Alumni from across India and abroad also participated, celebrating the institution’s legacy and achievements.

Uttam Kumar highlighted the Congress government’s initiatives to overhaul education in Telangana. He spoke about the launch of Young India Integrated Residential Schools, which aim to provide English medium education up to the 12th standard on par with international standards. These schools, established on campuses spanning 20-25 acres, cater to students from Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, Backward Classes, and other underserved communities. “We’ve initiated these schools in 60 constituencies and plan to establish one in all 119 Assembly constituencies. The government will spend about Rs5,000 crore on this initiative,” he said.

He strongly criticised the previous government for weakening the fee reimbursement scheme introduced by the previous Congress regime. “Over Rs 5,197 crore in dues were left unpaid by the BRS government, forcing many private colleges to shut down. The Congress government, under Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy and Deputy CM Bhatti Vikramarka, is working to resolve this in a phased manner,” Uttam Kumar Reddy added.

Praising Dr BR Ambedkar Educational Institutions, he said, “Education is the greatest contribution anyone can make to society. Unfortunately, most educational institutions today are profit-driven, unlike Dr BR Ambedkar Educational Institutions, where no donations are collected from students, and the focus remains on uplifting underprivileged communities.” He lauded the Gaddam family for running an institution dedicated to serving Dalits, tribals, backward classes, minorities, and economically weaker sections without a profit motive.

Paying rich tributes to late Gaddam Venkatswamy, Reddy described him as a towering figure in Indian politics, who held positions such as MLA, MP, Union Minister, PCC President, and CWC member. “Today marks the 10th death anniversary of Gaddam Venkatswamy, fondly called as 'Kaka', a visionary leader who rose from humble beginnings to become a legend in politics. His sons, Vivek and Vinod, are upholding his legacy through remarkable work in education and public service. MP Gaddam Vamsi Krishna is a rising star in Telangana politics,” he said.