Now Reading: Kerala, Telangana seek higher tribal scholarships and dues
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Kerala, Telangana seek higher tribal scholarships and dues
Kerala and Telangana have separately urged the Centre to improve financial support for tribal students and welfare. Kerala Minister K.A. Thulasi submitted a memorandum to Union Minister Jual Oram seeking a hike…
The Story in Brief
Kerala and Telangana have separately urged the Centre to improve financial support for tribal students and welfare. Kerala Minister K.A. Thulasi submitted a memorandum to Union Minister Jual Oram seeking a hike in the family income ceiling for post-matric scholarships from Rs 2.5 lakh to Rs 4.5-5 lakh, citing rising living costs. She also demanded monthly hostel fee disbursements and direct transfer of institutional fees to colleges. Telangana Minister Adluri Laxman Kumar, meeting Oram on Friday, demanded immediate release of Rs 452 crore in pending scholarship dues for 2024-25 and 2025-26. He also sought Rs 70 crore extra under Article 275(1), noting allocations to Telangana had fallen from Rs 98.4 crore in 2024-25 to Rs 32.1 crore in 2026-27. Oram reportedly assured both states of support and asked for detailed proposals.
The Indian Opinion
Both Kerala and Telangana have valid grievances, but the Centre's shrinking allocation under Article 275(1) in Telangana's case raises a sharper question: is the decline deliberate or just arithmetic? Kerala's demand to raise the income ceiling from Rs 2.5 lakh to Rs 4.5-5 lakh is overdue given inflation. Watch for whether the Union Budget for 2027-28 increases this ceiling and reverses the allocation drop to Telangana. That will settle whether this is neglect or revenue constraint.
Sources (2): thehindu.com, timesofindia.indiatimes.com
This story was synthesised by AI from the 2 sources linked above.
Updated: this story now draws on 2 sources.
