School edn gets mega boost in AP budget

The maiden budget by the finance minister focussed more on providing quality school education. Of Rs 1,11,824 lakh crore budget, Rs 15,682 crore was allocated for education sector.

A major chunk of the budget i.e. Rs 12,595 crore was allocated for the school education department, which was followed by the irrigation and power sectors.

At the same time, the government had allocated Rs 2,275 crore for higher education. While, Rs 812 crore was allocated for the intermediate education in the State.

• Allocates 12,595 cr in the budget
• Four model degree colleges to be established
• IIIT Sri City in Chittoor district sanctioned
• Likely to establish another IIIT at Kakinada under PPP mode

Ramakrishnudu, while presenting the budget, said that that the government would establish four model degree colleges at a cost of Rs 12 crore during 2014-15 under Rashtriya Uchchatar Shiksha Abhiyan (RUSA) scheme. A proposal of Rs 1,600 crore would be submitted to the Centre under RUSA for the 12th plan period. The government would make efforts to acheive the Gross Enrollment Ratio of 32 by the end of 13th plan.

“The government is implementing technical education quality improvement programme project in 11 institutions in the State with an estimated outlay of Rs 88.80 crore. The government has sanctioned IIIT Sri City in Chittoor district and is likely to establish another IIIT at Kakinda under Public Private Partnership (PPP) mode,” the finance minister informed.

Ramakrishnudu said that government was committed to education for all and is making all out efforts towards achieving the goal and is implementing several important activities and schemes.

“Sarva Sikhsha Abhiyan, a flagship programme of the Centre, is given priority in implementation. During 2014-15, 48 new primary schools were opened and 11 were upgraded to upper primary. Class VIII is being opened in 2,441 upper primary schools. All the teachers working in government and aided schools would be given in-services training. Around 35 lakh students studying in government schools from Classes I to VII are being provided with two pairs of uniforms,” the minister said.

He further said that ‘Badi Pilustondi’, programme launched by the Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu in July would aim to improve enrollment and retention.

As stated in the Andhra Pradesh Re-organisation Act, the State would get 11 national institutions. The government has 13 districts in three clusters: Visakhapatnam, Krishna- Guntur and Tirupati for establishing the institutions.

Each cluster would require 1,000 acres for setting up institutions. The minister stated that Krishna-Guntur cluster would be for AIIMS type institution, which would come up in 200 acres and NIT in 300 acres, agricultural university in 500 acres and National Institute of Disaster Management in 10 acres.

A central university is planned in 500 acres, IIT in 300 acres and Indian Institute of Science and Research in 200 acres at Tirupati.

The minister stated that team of minister led by the chief minister would submit a proposal to the prime minister and other union ministers.