THE HON’BLE SRI JUSTICE NOOTY RAMAMOHANA RAO WRIT PETITION No.18839 OF 2010 O R D E R: Heard learned counsel for the writ petitioners, learned Government Pleader for School Education for Respondents 1 and 2, learned Government Pleader for Revenue for Respondents 4 and 8 to 13 and Sri Elisha, learned Standing Counsel for Respondents 6 and 7. With their consent, the Writ Petition itself is disposed of, as the question that falls for consideration is in a narrow compass. The writ petitioners are said to be permanent residents of Warangal District where the State Government sponsored ‘Aksharasyatha’ programme to educate adult illiterate or semi-literate persons in rural areas is implemented. It is also said that the petitioners have worked for some time in that program on honororium basis. In the year 2009, the State Government has discontinued the said Aksharasyatha programme. In the meantime, the Government of India has taken a decision for implementing Saakshar Bharat, a welfare scheme for improving the literacy levels of the citizens. Warangal District in Andhra Pradesh is one such District where Saakshar Bharat programme for non-literates is being implemented. The State Government has accorded the necessary administrative sanction through G.O.Rt.No.71, Edn. (PE-Program-I) Department, dated 19.02.2010. At that stage, the State Government has announced certain guidelines for selection of Mandal and Village Coordinators for Saakshar Bharat literacy programme and announced the guidelines through their G.O.Rt.No.203, Education (PE-Program-I) Department, dated 13.04.2010. Dealing with the selection of Village Coordinators, it is stated that the person should possess a minimum qualification of pass of 10th class and that he should be a resident of the same village and should not have exceeded 35 years of age as on 01.04.2010. It is also pointed out that out of the two coordinators, one of them should be a woman candidate. Preference should be given to the deprived classes and that the Village Coordinator would be paid an honorarium of Rs.2,000/- per month. It is this clause of prescribing 35 years of age limit, which is sought to be put in issue in the Writ Petition by the petitioners, as most of them have crossed the upper age limit of 35 years. However, the learned counsel for the writ petitioners has drawn my attention to the orders passed by the State Government through their G.O.Rt.No.378, Education (PE-Prog.I) Department, dated 08.07.2010 prescribing further guidelines for implementation of the centrally sponsored Saakshar Bharat literacy programme. Ultimately, the Government has accepted the proposal of the Director of Adult Education, Andhra Pradesh, Hyderabad to relax the upper age limit from 35 to 40 years in respect of Nodal Preraks, Nodal Assistant Preraks, Preraks and Assistant Preraks who worked earlier under Continuing Education Programme for selection of Mandal Coordinators/ Village Coordinators under Saakshar Bharat programme. In view of these orders by the State Government through G.O.Rt.No.378, Education (PE-Prog.I) Department, dated 08.07.2010 the grievance of some of the petitioners stands redressed. The contention canvassed by the learned counsel for the writ petitioners is that the centrally sponsored scheme of Saakshar Bharat is nothing but an extension of the earlier programme of improving the literacy level, run by the State Government and hence, the case of the writ petitioners should have been considered without regard to their current age, but should have regard to the services rendered by them already. Such a contention cannot be accepted. Any social welfare measure/scheme, when contemplated for implementation, suitable guidelines will have to be devised for implementing the said programme. What should be the age up to which a candidate should be entertained for executing the social welfare schemes is a question, which falls squarely within the policy domain of the State. That is hardly capable of being called as a lis. Now that the State Government has exercised its mind and taken a policy decision to relax the upper age limit to 40 years, I do not think that the prayer in this Writ Petition in the terms it is prayed for can be granted. Instead, the respondents can be directed to take into account and consideration the upper age limit as per G.O.Rt.No.378, Education (PE-Prog.I) Department, dated 08.07.2010 and consider the cases of all such candidates, who have not crossed the upper age limit of 40 years for the purpose of selecting them as Mandal Coordinators or Village Coordinators as the case may be. With this, the Writ Petition stands disposed of. No costs. --------------------------------------- (NOOTY RAMAMOHANA RAO, J) 3rd August 2010 Note: Issue CC tomorrow. ksld THE HONOURABLE SRI JUSTICE NOOTY RAMAMOHANA RAO WRIT PETITION NO.17066 OF 2010 DATED: 20th July, 2010.