The release of Rs 1,002 crore by the government towards meeting its arrears in the fee reimbursement scheme has not mollified college managements who are adamant that they must be paid 50 per cent of the total arrears by February 23 else they will go on an indefinite strike from February 24 and close all engineering, pharmacy, MBA and MCA colleges.

Of the total Rs 3,500 crore that the state owes colleges, the share of the professional colleges is Rs 1,730 crore. They will get Rs 650 crore out of Rs 1,002 crore released by the state on Saturday, which amounts to 32 per cent of the total amount they are owed.

“The payment of 32 per cent of the arrears at this stage will not help the colleges to come out of the financial crisis. We demand the payment of another 18 per cent of the arrears, which amounts to `300 crore, by February 23. Else we will go by our decision to observe indefinite strike from February 24,” said Mr Ramesh Nimmatoori, president, Consortium of Engineering and Professional Colleges Management Associations of AP.

The association held its general body meeting on Sunday to discuss the issue. “The government should give a written commitment to clear all the arrears by April-end. It should understand that we are not asking for any grant but are only demanding the payment of arrears under the fee scheme,” said Mr K.V.K. Rao, secretary-general of the association.

The association has decided to meet the Chief Minister Mr N. Kiran Kumar Reddy on Monday to express its resentment at the arrears not being paid and to convey their decision to go on strike if their demands are not met. The managements also met the former Kadapa MP, Mr Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy, who is agitating for their demands.