AP junior and degree colleges to be revamped in upcoming phases of ‘Nadu-Nedu’

The first phase of revamping 15,000 schools is now underway, and Rs 920 crore of the Rs 3,600 crore budget has been released so far.
AP junior and degree colleges to be revamped in upcoming phases of ‘Nadu-Nedu’
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Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Jagan Mohan Reddy reviewed the status of infrastructure development projects under the ‘Nadu Nedu’ (then and now) program on Thursday. In the upcoming phases, hostels as well as junior and degree colleges will be covered under the program, at an estimated cost of Rs 7,700 crore.   

He asked officials to expedite infrastructure development works in educational institutions and hospitals, along the lines of other infrastructure projects. 

The ‘Nadu Nedu’ program was earlier announced as a revamp of government schools in the state. It was announced that a total of 45,000 government schools in the state will get a makeover with improved infrastructure and amenities, at a cost of Rs 12,000 crore. 

In the first phase of the program, which is now underway, around 15,000 government schools are to be covered at an estimated cost of Rs 3,600 crore. So far, Rs 920 crore has been released from this amount, according to an official statement. The CM instructed officials to get the remaining funds cleared by August 15. 

In a recent meeting with the education department, officials had claimed that on average, works worth Rs 2 crore were being done in an hour across the state. The CM had asked officials to ask district collectors to take over the works, in cases where the work was being delayed.

Earlier in December, the state government had announced that it had signed MoUs with several private firms, including pharmaceutical companies like Hetero Drugs and Vasudha Pharma, to develop hundreds of schools in different districts.

The CM had also asked education department officials to begin fundraising for the upcoming phases of the Nadu Nedu program. 

A similar revamp program has also been announced for the health sector. As part of the Nadu Nedu work in hospitals, officials were directed to begin works for which funds have already been allocated. The government has decided to set up 16 new medical colleges, a super-specialty hospital, a cancer hospital, and a mental health hospital, at a cost of Rs 6,657 crore. 

Area hospitals and community health centres (CHCs) are also set to have their medical infrastructure upgraded, with allocations worth Rs 6,099 crore and Rs 1,236 crore respectively. More than 11,000 village clinics are also to be established with an estimated budget of Rs 1,745 crore. Officials have been asked to pool funds for all of these projects and start works soon. 

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