RTE Act implementation delay in Telangana: It's just a small matter of money

HYDERABAD: The Telangana government's inability to implement a key provision of the Right to Education (RTE) Act, despite a high court directive, appears to boil down to one simple reason: lack of money.
Section 12(1)(c) of the RTE Act, 2009 mandates that 25 per cent of seats in private schools be reserved for students from disadvantaged groups in areas where there is no government school within a radius of 5 km to 10 km.
However, the state government has not put this into effect for the current academic year, even after the Telangana High Court ordered its immediate implementation. Officials say in private that the matter hinges not on intent but on funding.
Even basic liabilities remain unsettled. Dues amounting to roughly Rs 200 crore owed to private schools under the Best Available Schools scheme have not been cleared for three years. Additionally, the state government is yet to pay approximately Rs 6 crore to owners of private properties who lease buildings for government primary and secondary schools.

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