The Hindu : Education is right of children, says CM

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Saturday, Aug 10, 2002

Southern States

Southern States - Andhra Pradesh

Education is right of children, says CM

By Our Correspondent

VIZIANAGARAM AUG. 9. The Chief Minister, N. Chandrababu Naidu, has said that so far 3,160 cases have been booked against employers of school-age children and Rs. 34,33,757 realised as fine from them. The amount was deposited in banks in the names of children freed from work.

Participating in `Chaduvula panduga' at Jammupeta in Gurla mandal of the district on Friday, the Chief Minister, who came here by road, said education was the right of children and hence none should be employed in workshops, hotels, farm lands, etc. He told a gathering of school children to protect their right and protest if their parents stopped them from going to school. He, however, advised them to obey their parents.

Mr. Naidu said three lakh children dropped out of school for various reasons had been enrolled till the eighth day of the current programme. He said that there was cent per cent enrolment in 13,000 villages in the State. He said in Vizianagaram district, 8,500 children out of 40,000 dropouts were enrolled.

The Chief Minister said that an amount of Rs. 65,52,590 was mobilised for Vidya Nidhi and this money would be utilised for providing infrastructure in schools. The Chief Minister, after interacting with 30 children dropped out of schools in Jammupeta village, called upon their parents to set aside their poor economic conditions and send their children to schools as such a measure alone would ameliorate their living conditions in future.

The Chief Minister said that the Government was sincere in its efforts to alleviate poverty and sought cooperation of the people by adopting small family norm. He was thankful to 4.50 lakh DWCRA groups having a membership of 60 lakh women for taking up self-help programmes. He said the groups together saved Rs. 1,300 crores and improved their living conditions. He appealed to women to form more groups. He said the Government would extend `Velugu' programme to the remaining mandals in the district soon. The Chief Minister said 10,000 CMEY groups would be financed this year.

Mr. Naidu while on his way to the village from Visakhapatnam, inspected the withered groundnut and mesta crops and declared that loss to farmers was imminent even if it rained now. He asked the District Collector, Harpreet Singh, on the request of the Revenue Minister, P. Ashok Gajapathi Raju, to send a detailed report for declaring more mandals, in addition to the 13, as drought-hit in the district. The Chief Minister announced a non-residential bridge school and 50 houses for the village.

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Southern States

Stories in this Section

Accord reached on miners' demands

Heavy rain in A.P.

IndusInd Bank to go online

Retention of students more important: Collector

Education is right of children, says CM