Now, children feel proud to study in govt schools, says RK Roja

Tirupati/Nellore: Minister for Culture and Tourism RK Roja opined that nowadays every child was feeling proud to say that they have been studying in government schools with better infrastructure provided there along with Jagananna Gorumuddha.

She took part in the launching of the Ragi malt supply programme for students in government schools held at the Collectorate here on Tuesday. The programme will be implemented in 2,299 schools in the district.

Speaking on the occasion, the Minister said the intention of Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy was to see the children grow financially and with good health to lead a respectable life in the society. Towards this goal, he has been spending Rs 1,824 crore for the mid-day meal by changing the menu.

To provide more nutritious food to the children to make them active, Jagan has decided to provide them jaggery mixed Ragi malt. This will be provided to the children thrice in a week for which Rs 86 crore will be spent additionally.

District Collector K Venkataramana Reddy said that Ragi malt will be more useful for the nutrition deficient children and will make them active to excel in education and sports.

A total of 1.55 lakh students in 2,299 schools will benefit from it. DEO Dr V Sekhar, teachers and students participated in the launching programme.

A student P Praneetha of 8th standard who attended the programme felt that they were already getting peanut chikkis on alternate days and eggs for five days in a week under Gorumuddha. The Ragi malt provided now tastes good and it contains iron and calcium.

In Nellore, ZP chairperson Anam Arunamma, Collector KVN Chakradhar Babu, Kandukur MLA M Mahidhar Reddy and others took part in the programme and distributed Ragi malt to the children.

The ZP chairperson said that Ragi malt helps young students to get rid of anaemic problems. In the district, 1.81 lakh students in 2,590 schools will benefit from the programme.

Collector Chakradhar Babu said that the State government has been implementing various programmes to improve education and health sectors along with welfare schemes. Several reforms were introduced in the education sector keeping in view the future of the students. These programmes helped in the rise in admissions in the government schools.

The district administration has been taking special steps to improve the education sector further. He thanked the ISKCON and Sri Sathya Saibaba Trusts for taking part in the programme. DEO Ganga Bhavani, Samagra Siksha additional coordinator Usha Rani and others were present.