AMARAVATI: Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy, the chief minister of Andhra Pradesh, claimed on Tuesday that his governemnt has made significant improvements in the healthcare and education sectors.

He explained to the Assembly that the money spent on education is an investment in a better future because it helps to develop the next generation into capable and self-assured young people ready to begin their careers, while significant changes are being made in the medical and health sectors to make quality healthcare more affordable for the poor.

The Chief Minister concluded the brief debate on healthcare and education by stating that his government has been working to ensure that everyone has the opportunity to receive an education, including those who attend English-medium schools and those who pursue higher education. He claimed that the previous administration attempted to destroy government institutions in order to advance corporate schools with vested interests.

"Our aims were clearly outlined, and we intended to ensure that the Gross Enrollment Ratio (GER) was significantly raised by offering incentives and modernising the Nadu Nedu institutions. We have given instructions that 12 visible changes, including toilets, clean drinking water, repairs, tube lights and fans, furniture for students and teachers, green chalk boards, painting, English lab, compound wall, kitchen shed, additional rooms, and interactive digital panels, should be implemented in government schools "said Jagan Mohan Reddy.

He said, the Nadu Nedu programme is also developing anganwadi hostels as well as foundation schools for preschoolers. At a cost of Rs 3,700 crore, 15,715 schools were renovated in the first phase, and beginning with the following academic year, classrooms will be digitally equipped.

He provided a graphic presentation of schools in Leader of the Opposition Chandrababu Naidu's seat, Kuppam, and Naravaripalle before and after adopting the Nadu Nedu programme to inform the assembly that the second phase of modernization had begun.

"The GER in primary schools in the state for 2015–16 was extremely low, but we were able to significantly raise it with programmes like Amma Vodi, Goru Muddha, Vidya Deevena, and Vasathi Devena. The number of students attending government schools climbed from 37.20 lakh in 2018–19 to 44.29 lakh in 2021–22 " he said.

Amma Vodi is a special programme that rewards mothers for enrolling their children in school by giving them Rs. 15,000 per year with the condition that they attend 75% of the time and donate Rs. 1,000 for each student toward toilet maintenance and School Maintenance Funds. Rs 19,617 crore were spent on the programme throughout the course of the three years.

Under Gorumuddha, the state has been spending Rs 1,800 crore, up from Rs 450 crore under the previous governemnt, which did not pay the outstanding debts for ayas and provisions, on a daily-changing menu and nutritious cuisine.

The cost of the Vidya Kanuka kits, which include a school bag, bilingual textbooks, workbooks, notebooks, three pieces of clothing, shoes, two pairs of socks, and a dictionary, was Rs. 886 crore. Last Monday, he declared that 5.18 lakh tablets would be distributed to teachers and pupils in Class 8 in November.