Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy released Rs 680.44 crore towards Jagananna Vidya Deevena for the second quarter of 2023 benefiting 9,32,235 students. The amount would be directly credited into their mothers’ bank accounts.
Addressing a public meeting before releasing the amount at Nagari on Monday, the Chief Minister said the Government has been spending huge amounts on educational reforms as it strongly believes that education only can drive away poverty and other ills from society.
Jagananna Vidya Deevena was introduced to ensure 100 per cent fee reimbursement so that financial inability doesn’t come in the way of pursuing higher education, he said.
In the last four years, Government has spent Rs.69,289crore on education alone implementing unique programmes like Jagananna Vidya Deevena, Vasathi Deevena, Amma Vodi, Videshi Vidya Deevena, Goru Mudda, Vidya Kanuka, YSR Sampoorna Poshana, Nadu-Nedu, and YSR Kalyanamasthu and YSR Shadi Tohfa, he said.
The results are tangible in distribution of tablets to students of class 8, digitalisation of teaching with IFPs from class 6, introduction of English medium, bi-lingual textbooks, Byju’s content, subject-teacher concept from class 3 and improved facilities in Government schools, he said.
While TOEFL training will help students improve communication skills, introduction of job-oriented curriculum and verticals in higher education will help students face the competition in the job market at national and international level, he said, adding that soon students will also be able to pursue courses containing IB syllabus.
Vidya Deevena is being implemented for students pursuing ITI, Polytechnic, Degree, Engineering, Medicine and other courses without any limit on the number of eligible children in a family.
So far, the Government has paid Rs 11,317 crore under Vidya Deevena alone and Rs 4275 crore under Vasathi Deevena, the Chief Minister said. Under the scheme, quarterly fee reimbursement is made soon after completion of the quarter.
He asked mothers to visit colleges and find out the facilities and quality of teaching and suggested they can lodge complaints on toll-free number 1902 and also on Jaganannaku Chebudam helplines for resolving the issues.
The Chief Minister laid foundation stones for a model police station and a boys’ residential school and inaugurated a 100-bedded hospital.
