VIJAYAWADA: Governor Biswa Bhusan Harichandan listed out the various initiatives taken by the State government for the development of education, health, agriculture and other sectors and also the welfare schemes introduced by it in the past 43 months.
Speaking at the Republic Day celebrations in Vijayawada on Thursday, the Governor said the government is giving impetus to digital learning and marching ahead to transform poor students into global citizens. “Digital mode of learning was introduced in government schools to provide education to students on par with private institutions. As many as 5,18,740 tabs worth Rs 688 crore with pre-loaded Byju’s content worth Rs 778 crore were distributed to 4,59,564 students of eighth standard in the State.
The government has introduced English as medium of instruction with CBSE syllabus from primary level itself,’’ he said. Further, with a motto that ‘No mother shall be deprived of sending her children to school because of poverty’, the government is providing annual aid of Rs 15,000 to the poor and needy mothers of children studying from class 1 to Intermediate under Amma Vodi.
“The government has credited Rs 19,617 crore directly into the accounts of 44.49 lakh mothers thereby benefiting 84 lakh children under the scheme,’’ he explained.Under the Nadu-Nedu scheme, total revamp of infrastructure has been taken up in 45,484 government schools, 471 junior colleges, 151 degree colleges, 3,287 hostels and 55,607 Anganwadis with an outlay of Rs 17,805 crore in three phases.
Similarly, to ensure good quality, tasty and nutritious mid-day meal to schoolchildren, the revamped programme was launched in the name of Jagananna Gorumudda in January 2020. The government is spending Rs 1,800 crore per year for implementing the scheme. It has spent a total of Rs 3,239 crore on the scheme, he highlighted.
Further, every student is provided a kit consisting of bilingual textbooks and note books, three pairs of uniform with stitching charges, one pair of shoes and two pairs of socks, belt, schoolbag and also Oxford English-Telugu dictionary free of cost, he said, adding that the government has spent Rs 2,368 crore so far benefiting 47 lakh children.
It is also reimbursing the total fee on quarterly basis by directly crediting the amount into the bank accounts of mothers of students studying ITI, polytechnic, degree, engineering, medicine and other courses. It has disbursed Rs 9,051 crore to 24,74,544 beneficiaries under the scheme so far, he added.
CM, dignitaries attend At Home
Governor Biswa Bhusan Harichandan, along with his wife Suprava Harichandan, hosted At Home at the Raj Bhavan on Thursday to mark the 74th Republic Day. Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy, along with his wife YS Bharathi Reddy, Chief Justice of High Court Prashant Kumar Mishra, along with his wife Sucheta Mishra, attended At Home. Chief Secretary KS Jawahar Reddy, DGP KV Rajendranath Reddy, Judges of HC, APPSC and AP Information Commission members, All India Service officers attended the event.