Jagan goes Kejriwal way, seeks revamp of schools, hospitals

The Andhra Pradesh government has been reeling under severe financial crisis since the state’s split and now due to the lockdown. The state is facing a deficit budget, but Chief Minister Y.S. Jaganmohan Reddy is firm on revamping the educational and health sectors in the state like Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal has done. He strongly feels that addressing issues in the education and health sectors will get him re-elected and “be in the people’s hearts forever’’.

Jaganmohan Reddy on Wednesday instructed officials to maintain the student-teacher ratio and make transfers accordingly and said that schools should be spruced up before reopening on 3 August. During a review meeting on his flagship programme Nadu-Nedu (Then-now), officials placed the data before the CM about the proposed relocation of teachers to match the teacher-student ratio. The CM ordered the officials to complete the transfers of teachers before opening of the schools and modernise all schools with all facilities

“An application should he developed for digital learning where doubts can be cleared through video call,” the Chief Minister said. A toll-free number should be set up in all schools to register complaints to government by students and parents on amenities. Hygiene should be maintained in the schools and for Jagananna Vidya Kanuka kits, measurements for shoes should be taken on 8 and 9 June, he said. Not only education, the CM has focussed on medical facilities in the state too. Andhra Pradesh’s rural healthcare will take a big leap with the setting up of YSR Clinics in every village, and creating 9,712 jobs from doctors to nurses and paramedics with IPHS (Indian Public Health Standards) guidelines, besides flagging off a fleet 104 and 108 ambulance vehicles on 1 July. Jaganmohan Reddy said: “During my padayatra, many people have complained about the poor health facilities and how Aarogyasri was being watered down and how healthcare has been pushing people into debt. That’s why Aarogyasri is made available to people with an income of less than Rs five lakh per annum, benefiting 1.42 crore people and covering over 2,000 ailments, including cancer and cochlear implant for deaf and dumb. The facility was extended to 132 super specialty hospitals in Hyderabad, Chennai and Bengaluru.”