Andhra Pradesh Government has announced enhancement of the mess charges for the students belonging to Scheduled Casts, Scheduled Tribes, Backward Casts and Minorities staying in the welfare hostels and Government residential schools.

Chief Minister Kiran Kumar Reddy has announced this on the floor of Assembly while replying to the debate on SC and ST sub-plans. He said this has been decided in view the growing prices of essential commodities and cooking gas.

One rupee kilo rice will also be supplied to all welfare hostels through the state Civil Supplies Department.

The decision will benefit over 6 lakh students staying in welfare hostels across the state while it amounts 270 crore rupees more for the exchequer.

With the decision, the mess charges of students from class three to Eighth will go up from the present 475 rupees per month to 750 rupees while it will be 850 rupees for students up to Tenth Class to 850 rupees and the mess charges will be 1050 rupees till post graduation.