Babu promises to make AP a Knowledge Hub

HYDERABAD: Alleging that the previous Congress governments in the state had ruined key sectors such as education, health, social development and welfare, Andhra Pradesh chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu has vowed to transform the reorganised AP into a knowledge hub and top-rated education centre in the coming days.

Stating that his mission is to ensure that the state achieves 100 per cent literacy rate at the earliest, Naidu said the government would improve basic amenities in all government-run schools and ensure that quality education is taught in these schools.

While releasing white paper on the situation of the human resource development in the truncated state here on Thursday, Naidu said AP in its present form with 13 districts had started a new beginning after 'painful bifurcation and losing resource-rich capital city'.

He said the state had missed an opportunity of building up on the excellent start that his previous regime in the united AP had provided by launching women's self-help groups and other innovative initiatives in the field of health, education, welfare and poverty alleviation.

'The then TDP government had initiated several programmes to improve literacy levels and to improve students' enrolment in schools. Large number of residential schools were opened and that paved way for social explosion in providing access to higher education to students from all communities. This important sector was completely neglected by later governments,' Naidu claimed.

According to him, Intermediate, collegiate education and university education have all been grossly neglected with insufficient resource allocation during the past ten years of Congress rule.

'The pretension of opening many institutions like universities have actually compromised on teaching standards,' he said and promised that his government would bring back vitality to all the grass-root organisations and self-help groups and provide them a role in the new transformation engagement. 'Our government is, for the first time in our country, endeavouring to outline a policy-mix for ushering in a happy and healthy society,' he said.

Badi Pilustondi

Naidu said his government would soon introduce Badi Pilustrondi programme to make all rural children attend schools in order to ensure that the state achieves 100 per cent literacy rate. He also promised that the government would revitalise Pratibha Awards to encourage bright students in government-run schools.