AP School infrastructure development sees no progress over fund crunch

Works worth over Rs 300 crore in about 900 schools were still in progress in different districts under Phase-1.

Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy last year launched the second phase of his ambitious flagship programme Mana Badi: Nadu-Nedu' (our school, then and now) to refurbish over 16,368 state-run schools in the state at a cost of Rs 4,535 crore.

However, even after five months of its launch, the programme is still stuck at the starting point as the School Education Department is devoid of money.

In all, the government proposed to give a complete facelift to over 45,500 schools in the state in three phases at a total cost of Rs 16,000 crore. However, even the first phase of the programme, launched on Children's Day in 2019, is yet incomplete though the CM dedicated the revamped schools to the students on August 16, 2021.

The total estimated cost for Phase-1 works was Rs 3,699 crore, out of which Nabard extended a loan of Rs 1,800 crore. As per reports, works worth over Rs 300 crore in about 900 schools were still in progress in different districts under Phase-1, wherein a total of 15,715 schools were supposed to have been renovated. The state government is yet to clear payment of Rs 323 crore for works completed under Mana Badi Phase-1.

As hundreds of crores of rupees worth bills not cleared, contractors are said to be shying away from taking up works under Nadu-Nedu Phase-2. Also, the Jagan government has not yet achieved the required financial closure as banks are not inclined on lending money.

Rs 4,800 crores are required for the Phase-2 works but so far only Rs 2,300 crore has been sanctioned, with Nabard and World Bank agreeing to part-fund the programme. Of the Rs 2,300 crore, over Rs 600 crore could go towards clearing the Phase-1 bills.

Though the Chief Minister launched (Phase-2) works for refurbishing 16,368 schools, the government subsequently reduced the number to only 12,680, given the meagre availability of funds. The cost estimates are now being prepared and will hopefully be done by the end of this month.

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