NE NEWS SERVICE
CHITOOR, JAN 11
A historic programme of Jagananna Amma Vodi scheme conceptualised to bring down school drop outs and encourage mothers to send their wards to schools was launched by the Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy here on Thursday.
The scheme was launched to coinciding with the completion of one year of his Praja Sankalpa Padayatra before the assembly elections.
The scheme would cover 42,12,186 mothers to benefit 81,72,224 children for which Rs 6,318 crores has been allocated by the government.
Speaking on the occasion, the Chief Minister said education is the fundamental right of every child as enshrined in the Constitution. But it was not reaching a large section of the society. He said during his Padayatra, he had seen how mothers were unable to send their wards to school due to poverty. That was when he decided to ensure that poverty should not be a hindrance for educating children.
The Chief Minister said education is a boon to a child and every parent should be in a position to educate his children for which, the schools should be well equipped and a student should be able to feel himself. The government is starting this programme of Amma Vodi wherein Rs 15,000 would be deposited directly into the accounts of mothers to educate their children. It has been ensured with the bankers that even if the mothers have loans, this amount would not be touched and deposited in the unencumbered accounts.
The Chief Minister said he was proud to announce that English-medium would be introduced at the primary level in all government schools from June. Bridge courses would be started in the schools to equip the students to follow the medium of instruction and training modules have been prepared for the teachers for the purpose. However, Telugu will be a compulsory subject in all the schools.
The Chief Minister said revolutionary changes would be brought about in the government schools. The syllabus is going to be standardised. He said the menu was also being changed in the mid-day meal scheme to maintain quality. The honorarium for the ayahs feeding the children would be enhanced to Rs 3,000 from Rs 1,000.
As part of Mana Badi Nadu-Nedu programme first phase, over 15,000 schools in the state would be provided necessary infrastructure and compound walls built. All the students would be provided school kits containing three pairs of uniform, books, shoes, socks, belt and a bag.
The Chief Minister said as part of meeting the requirements of students pursuing higher studies, fee reimbursement would be provided and Rs 20,000 would be provided to each student to meet hostel and mess charges.
The government in the fiscal year 2019-20 has allocated Rs 6455.80 crore budget for Jagananna Amma Vodi scheme in which a financial assistance of Rs 15,000 will be provided to the mother or guardian who are below the poverty line, irrespective of the number of children in that family studying in between class 1 and 12. The scheme is applicable from the academic year 2019-20 in all the government, private aided, private unaided schools/junior colleges that include residential schools and colleges as well in the state.
Students, parents elated
Students, especially girl students are very much elated to receive this scheme and are happy to continue their education without being a burden to their families.
Speaking at the launch event, a class X student Navya Prajvalika from Santipuram said, “I am extremely happy that my education is no more a burden and my dreams need not be sacrificed due to the poor financial situation of my family. My mother works as a cooking assistant and my father is unemployed. I want to become an IAS officer and I strive hard and study well. Chief Minister Jangan Mohan Reddy is the first-ever person to give importance to our eyes and conducted free check-up and also offered treatments. Even we didn’t give much importance to our own eyes, as much as the importance given to our smart phones. We really thank him from the bottom of our hearts for being with us like a big brother, father and fulfilling every need of us.”
Another student, Kalpavrukshini, said, “Entire student fraternity across the State is very much happy with this scheme. From now on, no student has to kill their dreams for pursuing education because of the poor financial status, as the Chief Minister Jagan Mohan Reddy is with us like a family to look after our needs. Not just for the students, he is part of every family in the State and brought various welfare schemes for all sections of people in our society. We are very much thankful for his decision to implement English medium education in government schools, as it is going to change the lives of our students who study in government schools. He is also striving hard to change the face of government schools through Nadu-Nedu initiative, they are no more going to remain as filthy and dilapidated condition. They are going to be colourful and equipped with best educational facilities. My goal is to become an IAS officer and strive for this society.”
Not just the students even the mothers are also equally joyful with the implementation of Amma Vodi scheme. “As Jagan Mohan Reddy saw all our pains in person during his padayatra and ease our pain he brought Navaratnalu. We will be thankful to him forever for bringing such wonderful welfare schemes. Only because of him, today we are able to send our children to schools and get educated just like the convent school children in English-medium and with better infrastructure facilities.”
