The State government has decided to regulate fee in private schools, junior and degree colleges and introduce English medium education in government schools from next academic year. A group of ministers to study the twin objectives and submit required guidelines was finalised at a meeting of the Cabinet presided by Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao on Monday. Minister for Education P. Sabita Indra Reddy will head the committee which was also include K. T. Rama Rao, Koppula Easwar, Talasani Srinivas Yadav, G. Jagdish Reddy, T. Harish Rao, V. Prashant Reddy, Puvvada Ajay Kumar and E. Dayakar Rao. The Cabinet also decided to enact a legislation giving statutory backing to the decision, a release said later. A sum of ₹ 7,289 crore under head ‘Mana Ooru, Mana Pranalika’ was approved on the occasion for strengthening government schools, providing quality education and creation of improved basic infrastructure in the institutions. Through other decisions, the Cabinet approved the proposal of the Education department to set up a womens’ university. The Chief Secretary was asked to come up with detailed proposals for the next Cabinet meeting. Similarly, a forest university was also decided and the forest officials will submit a preliminary blue print in the matter at the next meeting. Minister for Health T. Harish Rao informed the meeting that COVID-19 was under control in the State and that the government was fully prepared to face any exigencies. The government had already administered five crore doses of COVID vaccination by now. Vaccination of all eligible persons will be completed soon. Mr. Chandrasekhar Rao directed the officials to complete procurement of paddy cultivated in kharif till the last arrivals at market yards. Due to unseasonal rains, the paddy was still going to market yards, he noted. It was decided to provide a quota for graduates of Forest College and Research Institute at Mulug in Siddipet district in direct recruitment to some posts of Forest department They will have 25 % reservation in recruitment of Assistant Conservator of Forest and 50 % reservation in recruitment of Forest Range Officers and Foresters categories. Suitable amendments to Telangana Forest Service Rules, 1997, and Telangana State Forest Subordinate Rules, 2000, will be made. At a detailed discussion on irrigation sector, the Cabinet approved budget for various projects. A sum of ₹ 388.20 crore was sanctioned for excavation of a link canal between Mallannasagar and Tapaspalli reservoirs in Siddipet district. Tapaspalli reservoir had a command area of 1.29 lakh acres. Similarly, ₹ 44.71 crore was sanctioned for revival works on Peddacheruvu tank at Buddharam village of Gopalpet mandal in Wanaparthy district, ₹ 144.43 crore for the Ghanpur branch canal works of Mahatma Gandhi Kalwakurthy lift-irrigation scheme, ₹ 50.32 crore for modernisation plan of Ghanpur anicut of Nizam era in Medak district and ₹ 27.36 crore for 11 check dams in Wanaparthy and Gadwal districts. The Manjira Lift Irrigation Corporation Limited was approved for raising funds for Sangameswara-Basaveswara Lift-Irrigation Project in Sangareddy district.