Andhra Pradesh tops in PM SHRI fund utilisation in the country, says HRD Minister Nara Lokesh

Andhra Pradesh Minister for Human Reid Andhra Pradesh had secured the top position in the country in the utilisation of funds under the Prime Minister’s Schools for Rising India (PM SHRI) scheme, a Central government initiative to modernise government schools.

Speaking at a review meeting with Education Department officials at his Undavalli residence, the Minister congratulated officials on the top ranking and directed them to take steps for the construction of 844 smart kitchens across the State this year on the Kadapa model. Officials told him the distribution of Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan Vidyarthi Mitra kits had already begun and would be completed before the Mega Parent-Teacher Meeting programme.

Mr. Lokesh told officials to immediately provide 53,180 bunk beds for 1,06,360 girl students in 430 Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidyalayas (KGBVs), and to arrange bunk beds in A.P. residential schools and colleges as well.

Mr. Lokesh said educational kits were being distributed to 2,03,430 students in government junior colleges. He also called for the removal of unnecessary conditions in granting permissions to private unaided schools, and directed that approved fee structures be displayed prominently on school premises and placed in the public domain.

Special focus on orphaned children

The Minister asked officials to ensure that benefits under the ‘Talliki Vandanam’ scheme reached orphaned children as well. He directed the collection of guardian details and said that, where no guardian existed, funds should be routed through District Collectors or deposited directly into the children’s bank accounts. He also proposed a permanent mechanism that would let such children access the accumulated funds after completing their education.

Mr. Lokesh directed officials to make Telugu Academy textbooks easily accessible by selling them through major e-commerce platforms such as Amazon and Flipkart, so that the public could buy them online.

Improving learning outcomes

The Minister said students’ learning abilities should be improved and school attendance kept above 95% across the State. He asked officials to focus particularly on educationally backward districts such as Kurnool, Anantapur, Markapuram, Alluri Sitharama Raju and the Polavaram region, by reviewing teacher availability and preparing special action plans.

He also called for quality and transparency in the Mid-Day Meal scheme and directed officials not to neglect Telugu, the mother tongue. As many students failed public examinations in Mathematics, Science and Telugu, he said, bridge-course material should be provided and remedial coaching and extra classes held for academically weaker students.

The meeting was attended by Education Department Principal Secretary (In-charge) Shyamala Rao, Higher Education Commissioner Narayana Bharat Gupta, Intermediate Education Commissioner Ranjith Basha, School Education Director Thameem Ansaria, Samagra Shiksha State Project Director B. Srinivasa Rao, Educational Infrastructure Corporation Managing Director Deeven Reddy and others.