Hyderabad: With calculations having gone awry, the state government which finds itself in a financial mess is now mulling to streamline the system of fee reimbursement to BC students if necessary by bringing in changes in the eligibility criteria which actually means reducing the financial burden. 

   The nine-member cabinet subcommittee which met here on Tuesday could not arrive at a consensus on the new guidelines and has decided to finalise the proposals on Wednesday and submit it to cabinet for its approval on July 1. According to official sources, some of the members were of the opinion that the eligibility criteria for the fee reimbursement scheme should be marks obtained in the final examination. A certain percentage should be fixed for eligibility so that there would be greater seriousness among the students about the fee reimbursement scheme. Besides, the money spent by government would also be put to productive use. But, a few others demanded changes in the income criteria. 

   The committee also feels that the money should be released as and when necessary and not once in three months. There is also lack of clarity on whether the government had released the money or just sanctioned it. The subcommittee members claim that Rs 512 crore has already been released. But the consortium of engineering colleges managements association general secretary P Rajeshwar Reddy said that the government promised to release Rs 500 crore before May 31 and another Rs 500 crore by June 15 and remaining Rs 1000 crore before commencement of classes in the new academic year. But it had failed to release even the first instalment of Rs 500 crore so far. 

   A few days back, minority welfare minister Mohd Ahmadulla Syed claimed that the colleges had already received Rs 100 crore.   On Tuesday, the social welfare minister P Subhash Chandra Bose said that Rs 512 crore has been released so . far and two GOs for release of Rs 186 crore were issued on Monday. The balance Rs 1300 crore would be released by August, he said. 

   Government sources indicate that as per the existing system, the Rs 186 crore sanctioned on Monday can be released anytime between July and September. They claim that the inflow of funds into the state kitty is yet to improve. Though it has raised Rs 1000 crore through bonds recently, the money is yet to reach the coffers.