Telangana Colleges Go On Strike, Hospitals To Begin One Over Dues
Telangana is facing a dual crisis in its healthcare and education sectors as private colleges have launched an indefinite strike and private hospitals will begin one on Tuesday, demanding the immediate payment of long-pending government dues.
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Private professional and degree colleges across Telangana have commenced an indefinite closure as of Monday.
Telangana is experiencing a simultaneous crisis in both healthcare and education sectors as private educational institutions have initiated an indefinite strike, while private hospitals are set to follow suit on Tuesday, both demanding immediate settlement of long-overdue government payments.
These concurrent protests will impact hundreds of thousands of citizens throughout the state.
Starting Tuesday, the Telangana Aarogyasri Network Hospitals Association (TANHA) will indefinitely halt all services provided under the Aarogyasri and Employee and Journalist Health Schemes.
The Aarogyasri scheme, established in 2007, provides free healthcare services to families living below the poverty line.
According to TANHA, outstanding payments from the Rajiv Aarogyasri Health Care Trust have accumulated to between Rs 1,300 crore and Rs 1,400 crore, pushing many of the network's 360+ private hospitals toward financial collapse.
This service suspension will directly affect millions of beneficiaries, including impoverished families and government workers who depend on these schemes for essential medical services. The association has requested public understanding, explaining that they can no longer pay staff or purchase necessary medical supplies due to the ongoing financial strain.
In a simultaneous protest, more than 2,000 private professional and degree colleges began an indefinite shutdown on Monday. The Federation of Associations of Telangana Higher Institutions (FATHI) declared the strike, marking Engineers' Day as a "Black Day".
FATHI reports that pending fee reimbursements total between Rs 7,500 crore and Rs 8,000 crore, with some payments delayed for as long as five years. The institutions are demanding the immediate release of Rs 1,200 crore, for which budget allocations have already been approved. They also insist all accumulated dues must be cleared by October 31.
The academic disruption affects over 1 million students across various disciplines including engineering, pharmacy, and law, with classes suspended and upcoming semester examinations now uncertain. College administrators report inability to pay faculty and staff salaries, creating hardship as festival season approaches.
While the Telangana government has reportedly promised to release the Rs 1,200 crore demanded by college managements, no specific timeline has been confirmed.
BRS Working President KT Rama Rao has criticized the state government for "misplaced priorities," alleging that funds are available for "commissions and contracts" but not for critical services like education and healthcare. He has called for immediate payment of dues to resolve these crises, comparing the current situation unfavorably to the BRS party's decade in power, during which he claims over Rs 20,000 crore in reimbursement bills were settled.