Promise LPG cylinders for mid-day meal providers: Etela

Finance Minister asks teachers to inspire public confidence in government schools

Finance and Civil Supplies Minister Etela Rajender during a review meeting with district officials in Karimnagar on Friday.– Photo: Thakur Ajaypal Singh

LPG gas connections would be provided to all agencies preparing mid-day meals for educational institutions in the State, Minister for Finance and Civil Supplies Etela Rajender said on Friday.

At a review of developmental programmes with district officials here on Friday, he asked the authorities concerned to submit the proposals, which would soon be granted government assent.

The Minister expressed shock when MLC P. Sudhakar Reddy said that government teachers too were having the mid-day meals meant for children.

He said the government had taken up the distribution of fine rice for mid-day meals so that the students may be fed nutritious food. He instructed school headmasters to ensure that the scheme was implemented properly. He also promised to release money due to mid-day meal agencies at the earliest.

Expressing concern over decline of student strength at government schools, he said teachers should instil confidence in public education among students and parents by providing quality education. He also directed officials to submit details about the spending of maintenance grant by all schools in the district.

Planting saplings

With regard to the ‘Haritha Haram’ programme, he said the government had decided to take up plantation of 6.24 crore saplings in the district. However, authorities could facilitate the planting of only 1.74 crore saplings till date, Mr. Rajender said. He also asked authorities to distribute fruit-bearing plants to all households.

Promise of pension

He also reiterated that the government would provide pensions under Aasara scheme to all beneficiaries and also food security cards. He said the government was planning to issue pensions to the jogin s and womenfolk deserted by their husbands.

Zilla Parishad chairperson Tula Uma, Karimnagar MP B. Vinod Kumar, legislators V. Satish Kumar, Rasamayi Balakishan, S. Satyanarayana, MLCs P. Sudhakar Reddy and T. Bhanuprasada Rao, Collector Neetu Kumari Prasad, Joint Collector Pausami Basu, DRDA project director S. Vijaygopal and others were present.

Finance Minister asks teachers to inspire public confidence in government schools