Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy on Sunday said the dropout rate at the Intermediate level in the State had come down to 6.62% against 27% at the national level in the last two years. Campus recruitments in the State had increased by more than 100%, and the Gross Enrolment Ratio (GER) in A.P. had gone up to 70%, against 32.4% at the national level, he said.
He disbursed ₹698.68 crore to 9.86 lakh students under the Jagananna Vidya Deevena Scheme here. The amount was transferred into the bank accounts of the mothers of the beneficiary students.
Addressing the gathering, the Chief Minister said the government had brought drastic changes in the education sector through schemes like Jagananna Amma Vodi, Jagananna Vidya Deevena, Jagananna Vasati Deevena, Jagananna Videsi Vidya Deevena, Jagananna Goru Mudda, and Nadu-Nedu.
Stating that Jagananna Vidya Deevena was aimed at educating the poor by extending financial aid to students, he said no student should give up education due to poverty.
A big asset
“Education is a big asset and we need to ensure every child has access to it. Education is a tool that can bring light in the lives of the poor,” he said, citing the example of NTR district Collector S. Dilli Rao. Hailing from a rural background in Srikakulam district, he had become an IAS officer, and was leading the district, Mr. Jagan Mohan Reddy said.
“In the next two years, all the government schools will be developed on a par with corporate educational institutions. Already, digital classrooms have been arranged in government schools, and I want our students to compete at the international level,” the Chief Minister said.
“I observed some students are unable to pay their fee and are resorting to suicides. So, I decided to make full fee reimbursement through Jagananna Vidya Deevena,” said Mr. Jagan Mohan Reddy adding that around ₹9,940 crore had been disbursed to nearly 27 lakh students under the scheme so far.
No corruption
Many changes were brought in the higher education sector too, he said, adding that the government would speak with the college managements directly, in case of any problem. “There is no scope for corruption as the money has been remitted through Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT),” he said.
A few students spoke on the occasion, expressing their gratitude to the Chief Minister for introducing the scheme.
Home Minister Taneti Vanitha, Education Minister Botcha Satyanarayana, Tiruvuru MLA Kokkiligadda Rakshananidhi, MLAs and officials participated in the programme.
Challenge to TDP
Earlier during his speech, Mr. Jagan Mohan Reddy dared the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) to contest the 2024 general elections without having a tie-up with other parties.
“We are fighting with unethical parties. The opposition party should clarify why it is keen on forming a poll alliance with other parties for the ensuing Assembly elections,” Mr. Jagan Mohan Reddy questioned.
He said people liked real-life heroes who served the public.
The TDP resorted to high-level corruption and failed to pay dues to college managements under the fee reimbursement scheme, he said. “Our Government is remitting the money through Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) to avoid middlemen and corruption. But, in the previous TDP government, there was large-scale corruption and money changed hands,” the Chief Minister alleged.
