Rs.1K-crore to upgrade govt schools: Lokesh
Amaravati: HRD and IT minister Nara Lokesh on Tuesday announced a Rs 1,000-crore allocation to upgrade government schools in the state. He said while Rs 200 crore has been in school management committee accounts, Rs 800 crore has been allocated anew.
During the Andhra Pradesh Legislative Assembly Question Hour, Lokesh said the government scrapped GO 117 and expanded the “One Class–One Teacher” system from 3 percent to 33 percent of the schools. A Five-Star rating model will assess infrastructure such as classrooms, toilets, benches and drinking water. Currently, 40 per cent of schools fall in the one-and two-star categories. The aim is to lift them to at least three- or four-star standards, he said.
Home Minister Vanagalpudi Anitha told the House that ganja cultivation in Andhra Pradesh has been reduced to “zero,” though smuggling from Odisha remains a concern. She said the state strengthened enforcement through the Special Enforcement Bureau, Eagle teams and inter-state coordination.
As many as 35 inter-state check-posts now operate across five border districts. In the north coastal belt alone, police registered 1,423 NDPS cases, arrested 3,515 persons and seized 762 vehicles. Forty-seven drones are monitoring vulnerable stretches in the Visakhapatnam range, alongside expanded CCTV surveillance.
Eagle Clubs have been formed in schools to create awareness, including 131 in the Palakonda constituency and 493 across Manyam district.
Energy Minister G Ravi Kumar addressed concerns over deaths caused by unsafe power lines. While the grid meets safety norms, he said accidents often stem from unsafe constructions near lines. The government has set aside Rs 1 crore per district and Rs 10 crore in the latest budget for urgent safety works, including pole shifting and transformer height corrections.
On aqua farming, minister said the previous “zone–non-zone” tariff classification would be rationalised. The standard tariff stands at Rs 3.85 per unit, with a Rs 2.35 subsidy, bringing the farmer’s burden to Rs 1.50. Around 50,000 new connections have been brought under subsidy coverage. BC Welfare Minister S Savitha said Rs 31,331 crore has been spent on BC schemes benefiting 1.59 crore people. Funds were also allocated for hostels, scholarships and residential schools.
In irrigation, minister N Rama Naidu said revival of the left canal of the Rallapadu Reservoir would be examined on priority to restore irrigation potential.
