HYDERABAD: Union minister of state for defence Shripad Naik has said though the central government sanctioned a Sainik School in Warangal, there had been no response from the Telangana government on the same.
Responding to a question raised by Congress MP N Uttam Kumar Reddy in Lok Sabha a few days ago, Naik said the ministry of Defence has accorded in-principle approval and signed a memorandum of agreement on March 2, 2017 for opening of a Sainik School at Warangal District. Thereafter, there has been no response from the Telangana government, till date.
Referring to the reply, TPCC president and Nalgonda MP N Uttam Kumar Reddy said it was shocking that the TRS Government has ignored the setting up of a Sainik School in the state for 4 years after the Ministry of Defence gave an in-principle approval.
“It is abundantly clear from the above statement that the delay in setting up of a Sainik School in Telangana, even after 7 years of formation of the State, is largely due to the negligent attitude of the TRS government. As an alumni of National Defence Academy (NDA) and former military officer, I urge the state government to seriously take up the process of setting up a Sainik School in Telangana to enable thousands of young men and women to take up a career as officers of the Army, Navy and Air Force,” he said.
The setting up of a Sainik School in Warangal would also put Warangal into limelight on the map of India and create direct and indirect employment to many youth in and around Warangal. Sainik Schools in India are the feeding institutions for National Defence Academy, Pune. which is the main military training academy for officers of Indian Army, Navy and Air Force. Sainik Schools are financed by the ministry of defence and charge only nominal fee from students. Uttam said.
Over the past few decades, lakhs of Sainik School students have become outstanding military officers and also made their mark in many walks of life. There are 33 Sainik Schools in various states in the country in which 16176 students are studying at nominal cost. Unfortunately, the only state in the country with no Sainik School at present is Telangana, Uttam added.