Jagananna Vidya Kanuka is not funded by the Centre completely: AP education minister

Vijayawada: While Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy is introducing reforms in the education sector, Opposition leaders are bent on criticising the Vidya Kanuka scheme, said education minister Adimulapu Suresh.

Suresh said the scheme has been drawing all round applause as such a reform has not been introduced in the country so far. The scheme involves distribution of a pair of shoes, two pairs of socks, school bags and work books to the students. He claimed that the authorities in neighbouring states were looking forward to implement such a unique programme.

Meanwhile, the Opposition parties claim that Jagananna Vidya Kanuka is a central scheme and the tom-tom of the state government about it was baseless.

On the other hand, the minister said that 18 per cent of the state budget was allocated for the education sector. Over Rs 69 crore was allocated for school bags, Rs 72 core for notebooks, Rs 67 crore for shoes and socks and Rs 10 crore for belts of students studying in government schools.

He criticised Opposition leader and TDP chief N. Chandrababu Naidu and others for saying that the scheme was being implemented with funds from the Centre. He said that the CM wants to assert that poverty shoud not be an impediment to education and hence, launched Vidya Deevena programme.

He said the Centre allocated only Rs 100 crore for the Vidya Deevena programme while the state was bearing the remaining amount. “Naidu is not able to digest the fact that Jagan Mohan Reddy would remain the Chief Minister forever and hence, is making baseless allegations,” he said.

The minister said the programme was in tune with the aspirations of B.R. Ambedkar, aimed at improving literacy in the state.

He said that the government was ready for a debate on the issue for an inspection on the quality of the items distributed to the students. Criticising Naidu of being used to mudslinging, Suresh said that the Centre paid for the uniforms and textbooks while the state government is planning to give another pair of uniform.

The minister asked the Opposition leaders if they had ever thought of a scheme like Amma Vodi, the brainchild of Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy. He said that the CM was determined to make education available for all.

He claimed that people have realised the false propaganda against the government and celebrated the launch of Vidya Kanuka scheme, despite Covid-19.

He ridiculed the Opposition parties for not being able to think of such a unique scheme.