Jagan Launches Second Phase Of Amma Vodi Scheme

Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y S Jaganmohan Reddy today launched the second phase of the state government's Amma Vodi program - a part of its larger Navartnalu scheme - which aims to provide financial assistance to the mothers who fall below the poverty line, to fund the education of their children (between classes I and XII).

The CM sanctioned the release of the funds for the implementation of the second phase of the program. Rs 14,000 was disbursed to 44,00,891 beneficiaries, and the amount was credited directly to the bank accounts of the mothers.

Speaking on the occasion, the CM said that the government was ready to provide laptops with three-year warranties to those beneficiaries who did not want to receive cash under the scheme, from the next financial year.

(In the wake of the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic, much of the teaching-learning process has been shifted online. This has further increased the importance of technology in education. In this context, the AP government's decision to provide laptops could be greatly beneficial many BPL students in the future.)

He however added that only the students from classes IX to XII could avail themselves of the laptops that would be offered.

"We are ready to provide laptops to the students of classes IX, X, XI and XII. Each laptop will have 4 GB RAM and a Windows OS. We will acquire the laptops at a subsidised price through reverse tendering so that we can support a large number of economically disadvantaged students of AP," he said.

Meanwhile, various Opposition parties in the state raised concerns regarding the timing of the distribution of the funds. They pointed out that since Sankranti was so close by, many beneficiaries were likely to spend the funds on the upcoming festivities instead of for educational purposes.