Vidya Kanuka Is Old Scheme, Given a New Name: Nakka Anand Babu

Amaravati: Former Minister and TDP leader Nakka Anand Babu criticised that the YSRCP Government was spending hundreds of crores of public funds on publicity wastefully while neglecting the real educational needs of the poor students, at a press conference at TDP office, Mangalagiri on Thursday.

Anand Babu said that the Vidya Kanuka was not a new scheme but an old one given a new name. All such schemes were being used only for the publicity stunt of the ruling party but not for meeting the real needs of the concerned sections.

He recalled that the TDP Government spent Rs. 400 Cr for giving two pairs of uniforms, textbooks, shoes and socks to the school children. At that time, Rs. 140 Cr was additionally spent for providing cycles to students. The YSRCP has deliberately undermined this scheme and not distributed the cycles already procured during the TDP regime, Anand Babu said.

The TDP leader deplored that the YS Jagan Mohan Reddy government has cancelled nearly 15 schemes and programmes that used to help the SC, ST and weaker sections students in a big way. Even the pre and post-matric scholarships have been cancelled.

Anand Babu asked why the Jagan Reddy cancelled even the Ambedkar Overseas Education schemes under which the TDP regime gave Rs. 15 lakh to each student for their studies abroad. Over 700 SC and 200 ST students benefited from this scheme. They were given education in over 15 countries and they were pursuing PG, PhD and MBBS courses. Instead of giving more help under this programme, Jagan Reddy has altogether cancelled it.