Former Deputy CM seeks release of funds for tribal student’s Australia study

Former Deputy Chief Minister and senior YSR Congress Party leader Peedika Rajanna Dora on Friday urged the State government to immediately release funds under the Ambedkar Overseas Vidya Nidhi scheme to help meritorious tribal students pursue higher education abroad.

Speaking to the media in Saluru, he cited the case of Gedela Bhuvaneswari, a tribal student from Sappagottili village in Kurupam mandal. She had cleared all the required tests for admission to a Master of Science course at the University of Queensland in Australia nearly two months ago but was unable to join due to the government’s failure to provide financial assistance.

Mr. Rajanna Dora said Bhuvaneswari’s father, a school teacher, was unable to raise the nearly ₹70 lakh required for overseas education. He alleged that despite his repeated representations to Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu and Deputy Chief Minister K. Pawan Kalyan seeking support for her and other eligible students, the government had not responded.

Recalling that the Ambedkar Videshi Vidya Deevena scheme had benefited thousands of students from disadvantaged sections during the Y. S. Jagan Mohan Reddy government, he alleged that the present NDA regime had neglected the scheme, thereby denying tribal students crucial opportunities for higher education abroad.