Jagananna Vidya Deevena: AP CM Releases Rs 693 Crore For Fee Reimbursement

AMARAVATI: Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy on Thursday released the second tranche of Jagananna Vidya Deevena of Rs 693.81 crore directly crediting it into the mother’s accounts of 10.97 lakh students pursuing their higher studies.

Speaking on this occasion, the Chief Minister said that the State government had spent Rs 5,573 crore for the fee reimbursement through Vidya Deevena scheme since 2019, besides clearing Rs 1,880 Crore pending dues of the previous government during 2018-19. He said that the scheme has been designed to make education accessible to the poor, creating an opportunity for those students who want to pursue higher education without burdening their families. He added that the real wealth which can be given to the future generation is education, which alone can eradicate poverty and change their lives. 

Further, the Chief Minister Stated that as per 2011 census, there is 33 percent illiteracy in Andhra Pradesh while it is 27 percent in the country. Drawing comparison with the BRICS nations on the students enrollment for higher studies, it is 51.8 percent in Brazil, 83.4 percent in Russia, 83.4 percent in China but in India only 27 percent of the students are pursuing higher education and 73 percent are not joining in colleges. He said that it is hard to eliminate poverty if the children don't pursue higher studies.

The Chief Minister said that the State government has been very much committed to the education sector and thus rolled out schemes like Jagananna Amma Vodi, Goru Mudha, Vidya Kanuka, Vasati Deevena to ensure that no family runs into debts for the sake of providing education to their children and resolving this, the government had spent Rs 26,677 crore on education alone. Going into the details, the Chief Minister said that previously the money was paid directly to colleges, but from this year it’s being credited to the mother’s accounts as they could have better supervision on the college facilities and students’ wellbeing, which would also improve accountability from college managements. If there arises any problem with college management or with Vidya Deevena, beneficiaries were advised to call on the 1902 toll-free number.

Under Jagananna Vidya Deevena, fee reimbursement will be credited into mothers’ accounts in four installments, where the government has released the first tranche in April this year and the second on Thursday, third in December, and the fourth tranche in February next year. 
Ministers Adimulapu Suresh, P Viswaroop, Ch Venugopala Krishna, Kodali Nani, Principal Secretary Higher Education K Satish Chandra, Principal Secretary BC Welfare G Anantha Ramu, APSCHE Chairman K Hemachandra, and other officials were present on the occasion.

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