Hostelers may be devoid of spin and sleep

HYDERABAD: Students staying in government welfare hostels will have to spend chilly nights this winter without bedsheets and attend school without proper uniforms. The state government is unlikely to supply mandatory clothing comprising four pairs of uniforms and two bedsheets per student this year as none of the welfare departments have placed any order with the supplier, Andhra Pradesh Handloom Weavers’ Cooperative Society (APCO).There are about six lakh students staying in government hostels of social, backward caste, tribal and disabled welfare departments.As per norms, these welfare departments should supply four pairs of uniforms and two bedsheets to government welfare hostelers every year. The government spends about Rs 70 crore per annum towards these expenses. The orders are placed with APCO every year with 50 per cent advance payment.Sources said it would take at least six months for APCO to procure and supply the material to the departments. Though the order should have been placed during January this year to supply the clothes on commencement of the new academic year, none of the welfare departments, excluding the social welfare department, have placed the order due to financial problems.“Only the social welfare department has released about `8 crore and placed the order. Even if the other departments place their orders now, the material would be supplied only after at least six months, i.e., by January or February. Till then, students have to adjust with the last year’s clothing and spend nights without proper bedsheets this winter,” said a senior official. According to officials, the welfare departments have to pay `100 crore to APCO which includes arrears amounting to `30 crore for supply in the previous years and `70 crore for the current year’s supply failing which APCO would not supply the required material. Given the financial situation, officials said that the government is not in a position to release the amount immediately.