Andhra Pradesh tops in PM SHRI fund utilisation in the country, says HRD Minister Nara Lokesh

Andhra Pradesh Minister for Human Resource Development (HRD) Nara Lokesh connected Thursday (June 18, 2026) said Andhra Pradesh had secured the apical presumption successful the state successful the utilisation of funds nether the Prime Minister’s Schools for Rising India (PM SHRI) scheme, a Central authorities inaugural to modernise authorities schools.

Speaking astatine a reappraisal gathering with Education Department officials astatine his Undavalli residence, the Minister congratulated officials connected the apical ranking and directed them to instrumentality steps for the operation of 844 astute kitchens crossed the State this twelvemonth connected the Kadapa model. Officials told him the organisation of Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan Vidyarthi Mitra kits had already begun and would beryllium completed earlier the Mega Parent-Teacher Meeting programme.

Mr. Lokesh told officials to instantly supply 53,180 bunk beds for 1,06,360 miss students successful 430 Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidyalayas (KGBVs), and to put bunk beds successful A.P. residential schools and colleges arsenic well.

Mr. Lokesh said acquisition kits were being distributed to 2,03,430 students successful authorities inferior colleges. He besides called for the removal of unnecessary conditions successful granting permissions to backstage unaided schools, and directed that approved interest structures beryllium displayed prominently connected schoolhouse premises and placed successful the nationalist domain.

Special absorption connected orphaned children

The Minister asked officials to guarantee that benefits nether the ‘Talliki Vandanam’ scheme reached orphaned children arsenic well. He directed the postulation of guardian details and said that, wherever nary guardian existed, funds should beryllium routed done District Collectors oregon deposited straight into the children’s slope accounts. He besides projected a imperishable mechanics that would fto specified children entree the accumulated funds aft completing their education.

Mr. Lokesh directed officials to marque Telugu Academy textbooks easy accessible by selling them done large e-commerce platforms specified arsenic Amazon and Flipkart, truthful that the nationalist could bargain them online.

Improving learning outcomes

The Minister said students’ learning abilities should beryllium improved and schoolhouse attendance kept supra 95% crossed the State. He asked officials to absorption peculiarly connected educationally backward districts specified arsenic Kurnool, Anantapur, Markapuram, Alluri Sitharama Raju and the Polavaram region, by reviewing teacher availability and preparing peculiar enactment plans.

He besides called for prime and transparency successful the Mid-Day Meal strategy and directed officials not to neglect Telugu, the parent tongue. As galore students failed nationalist examinations successful Mathematics, Science and Telugu, helium said, bridge-course worldly should beryllium provided and remedial coaching and other classes held for academically weaker students.

The gathering was attended by Education Department Principal Secretary (In-charge) Shyamala Rao, Higher Education Commissioner Narayana Bharat Gupta, Intermediate Education Commissioner Ranjith Basha, School Education Director Thameem Ansaria, Samagra Shiksha State Project Director B. Srinivasa Rao, Educational Infrastructure Corporation Managing Director Deeven Reddy and others.