The project, launched in 2020, to enhance infrastructure of government schools in AP is halted owing to delay in release of grants.
Published Dec 07, 2022 | 3:25 PM ⚊ Updated Dec 07, 2022 | 3:25 PM
AP Chief Minister YS Jagan with school children. (AndhraPradeshCM/Twitter)
The second phase works of Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy’s ambitious pet project Mana Badi: Nadu-Nedu (our school, then and now) have come to a halt across Andhra Pradesh owing to paucity of funds.
According to officials in the School Education department, NABARD has released ₹2,000 crore and World bank ₹380 crore as loans for phase 2 works, but there is a delay in the release of grants from the Finance Department for clearing bills to the tune of ₹950 crore.
Under the ambitious flagship programme, the state government proposed to refurbish over 16,493 schools in Phase 2 at a cost of ₹4,535 crore.
The chief minister launched the second phase works on 16 August 2021, which was supposed to be completed by August 2022.
Giving a fresh coat of paint to government school buildings with thematic pictorials adorning the walls, installing new furniture in classrooms along with fans and fluorescent lights, building swanky-clean toilets, providing safe drinking water, setting up English language labs and building kitchen sheds for preparing mid-day meal were the main works under Mana Badi: Nadu-Nedu.
In all, the government proposed to give a complete facelift to over 45,500 schools in the state in three phases by 2024 at a total cost of ₹16,000 crore.
Under Phase 1,15,715 schools were covered last year, on which the government spent ₹3,699 crore.
Of the total cost of ₹,535 crore for Phase 2 works, ₹1,000 crore was spent so far, the officials said.
“We have raised bills for ₹950.54 crore for the works completed so far, but the government is yet to release the money. As no funds are available, the works have been stopped,” they pointed out.
Initially, the non-availability of sand hampered the Nadu-Nedu works, but when it became available, there was no money to buy it.
“We have cleared old dues of over ₹70 crore for sand and the current due is only about ₹1 crore,” a top official of the Department said.
The government has to pay the schools’ Parents Committees, which are entrusted with Nadu-Nedu works, a staggering sum of ₹727 crore. Cement suppliers have to be paid ₹34 crore, he claimed.
The official further said the state government deducted ₹1,000 each from the Amma Vodi freebie beneficiaries towards School Maintenance Fund (over ₹430 crore) this year but over ₹81 crore of it is yet to be released for the intended purpose.
On the ₹1,800 crore loan taken from NABARD for Nadu-Nedu Phase 1 works in 2020, ₹20.19 crore has to be paid towards interest.
Another ₹78 crore has to be paid towards Revolving Fund.
“If we at least clear the pending bills, we can get the works resumed. But, with the Finance Department sitting over our plea for the release of funds, we are unable to go ahead,” the School Education Department official noted.
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