VIJAYAWADA: In a significant move to support students with special needs, HRD and IT Minister Nara Lokesh addressed ongoing infrastructure development and educational initiatives during the Question Hour session in the Legislative Assembly on Tuesday.
Lokesh responded to questions raised by MLAs Vemireddy Prashanti Reddy (Kovur), Kolla Lalitha Kumari (Srungavarapukota), Gouthu Sireesha (Palasa), and Palle Sindhura Reddy (Puttaparthi) about the progress of the Mana Badi - Mana Bhavishyathu programme. He mentioned that constructions under Phase II of the programme are still ongoing, with Phases 1, 2, and 3 in varying stages of completion.
The minister highlighted that several Phase 1 and 2 projects were left incomplete by the previous government, requiring a substantial Rs 4,789 crore to finish. He also confirmed that the coalition government intends to scrap the controversial GO 117 issued by the prior administration, a move that aims to improve access to primary education for underprivileged students.
Asserting that the government would require Rs 13,524 crore and five to seven years of collective effort to equip the schools with 5-star rating infrastructure, he urged the MLAs to adopt schools and make use of CSR funds for their development, pointing to Deputy Speaker Raghu Rama Krishna Raju’s fundraising model.
A key point in the session was Lokesh’s emphasis on students with special needs. Responding to concerns raised by Yelamanchili MLA Sundarapu Vijay Kumar about the challenges faced by parents of children with disabilities, Lokesh noted that many private institutions charge as much as Rs 50,000 for specialised education. He reiterated that the State currently operates 679 Bhavita centres with 1,358 teachers catering to 41,119 students across nine disability categories, as mandated by the Union government.
To further support these children, Lokesh proposed the establishment of 125 additional Bhavita centres by 2025-26, with plans to set up one centre per municipality. He emphasised the importance of maintaining a 1:10 teacher-student ratio in primary schools and 1:15 in secondary schools, ensuring better support for students with special needs.