MADANAPALLE: Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy released Rs 694 crore as fee reimbursement for the July-September 2022 quarter benefiting 11.02 lakh students in the State by pressing the button here on Wednesday. The amount will be directly credited into the bank accounts of the mothers of beneficiary students.A total sum of Rs 12,401 crore has been released under the Jagananna Vidya Deevena Scheme so far, which includes Rs 1,778 crore arrears kept pending by the previous TDP regime from 2017.
Addressing a huge public meeting on the occasion, Jagan said the direct transfer of fee reimbursement amount into the bank accounts of students’ mothers will empower them to question the college managements on the quality of education. Students faced a pathetic situation during the TDP government, which kept pending Rs 1,778 crore towards fee reimbursement for 2017-18 and 2018-19. Unlike the previous TDP government, the YSRC regime has been striving hard to reform education sector by implementing Jagananna Amma Vodi, Vidya Deevena, Vasathi Deevena, Vidya Kanuka, Goru Muddha and Nadu-Nedu programmes for which a whopping Rs 54,908 crore has already been spent so far, he highlighted.
Explaining how the TDP government diluted the fee reimbursement scheme introduced by his father and former chief minister YS Rajaskehara Reddy, he mentioned a series of complaints received from students during his Praja Sankalpa Yatra. The scheme was changed into Jagananna Vidya Deevena after YSRC came to power in the State.
Urging people to judge his governance by using the yardstick of welfare benefits they have received, he advised them not to believe the false propaganda unleashed by the opposition TDP and its friendly media that the State will become another Sri Lanka, if he goes on extending welfare measures with the click of a button. The gang of four, comprising, Naidu, his foster son, and his friendly media had pursued the policy of plunder, stash and devour, he alleged.
Jagan asked the people to see the difference between the YSRC government which stands for accountability and considers its party manifesto as a holy book and the TDP rule which totally neglected agriculture, education, welfare of women, minorities and the downtrodden. “The government is fighting with demons to implement welfare programmes. Unlike others, we have an evil quartet. I don’t have any political alliance. My only alliance is with the people,’’ he asserted.
Appealing to the people to bless him to serve them more, he said the YSRC government has already fulfilled 98% of its election promises.He exhorted students to have good education and become top-notch professionals as the government is ready to extend the required financial support to any number in each family as it considers expenditure on education as an investment for future. Education is the only asset that we pass on to the next generation, he averred.Ministers Botcha Satyanarayana and Peddireddy Ramachandra Reddy, MP P Mithun Reddy, MLA Md Nawaz Basha and others were present.