‘Jagananna Vasathi Deevena’ launch today

Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy is launching ‘Jagananna Vasathi Deevena’ at Vizianagaram on Monday. Under the scheme, financial assistance will be given to ITI, polytechnic and degree students towards hostel and mess charges. It will benefit as many as 11,87,904 students, according to an official release.

The Education Department has allocated ₹2,300 crore to it for the current financial year. The money will be credited into the bank accounts of the mothers or guardians of eligible students. ITI students will get ₹10,000, polytechnic students ₹15,000 and degree students ₹20,000 every year in two equal instalments in February and July.

The objective of the scheme is to enable the mothers to send their wards to higher education without any financial difficulty. The courses covered are ITI, polytechnic, degree and PG/Ph.D (except Intermediate students who are covered under ‘Amma Vodi’) and full fee reimbursement is provided for SC/ST students irrespective of courses.

Pending applications

According to the official press release, the number of eligible students may increase as the pending Spandana applications on objections received on ineligibility are disposed of and the balance unsurveyed students get surveyed in the Secretariat logins. A drive is being conducted to sort these things out.

At present, 50% of the total sanctioned amount is being transferred into the mothers’ accounts. A sum of ₹26.86 crore is being remitted for 53,720 ITI students, ₹65.17 crore for 86,896 polytechnic students and ₹1047.12 crore for 10,47,288 degree and PG students.

Elaborate security

Staff Reporter in Vizianagaram writes: The Police Department has made elaborate security arrangements for the Chief Minister’s public meeting at Ayodhya Maidan, where he would launch the scheme.

The YSRCP leaders are vying with one another to ensure a grand welcome to Mr. Reddy.

Minister for Municipal Administration Botcha Satyanarayana, who is camping in Vizianagaram for the last three days, is reviewing the arrangements along with senior officials such as Collector M. Hari Jawaharlal and Superintendent of Police Raja Kumari.

Opposition parties such as the Lok Satta Party and the Aam Admi Party have requested the Chief Minister to allocate more funds for the development of the backward region.