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

Published 18 June 2026 · politics

Andhra Pradesh Minister for Human Resource Development (HRD) Nara Lokesh on Thursday (June 18, 2026) said Andhra Pradesh had secured the top position in the

Andhra Pradesh Minister for Human Resource Development (HRD) Nara Lokesh on Thursday (June 18, 2026) said Andhra Pradesh had secured the top position in the country in the utilisation of funds under the Prime Minister’s Schools for Rising India (PM SHRI) scheme, a Central government initiative to modernise government schools. Speaking at a review meeting with Education Department officials at his Undavalli residence, the Minister congratulated officials on the top ranking and directed them to take steps for the construction of 844 smart kitchens across the State this year on the Kadapa model. Officials told him the distribution of Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan Vidyarthi Mitra kits had already begun and would be completed before the Mega Parent-Teacher Meeting programme. ఉండవల్లి నివాసంలో విద్యాశాఖ అధికారులతో సమీక్ష నిర్వహించాను.

ప్రభుత్వ పాఠశాలల ఆధునీకరణ కోసం కేంద్రప్రభుత్వం ప్రవేశపెట్టిన పీఎంశ్రీ పథకం నిధుల వినియోగంలో ఆంధ్రప్రదేశ్ ను దేశంలోనే నెం.1స్థానంలో నిలిపిన అధికారులను అభినందించాను. కడప మోడల్ లో ఈ ఏడాది రాష్ట్రవ్యాప్తంగా 844 స్మార్ట్… pic.twitter.com/MUFxxGVSp0 — Lokesh Nara (@naralokesh) June 18, 2026 Lokesh told officials to immediately provide 53,180 bunk beds for 1,06,360 girl students in 430 Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidyalayas (KGBVs), and to arrange bunk beds in A.P. residential schools and colleges as well. Lokesh said educational kits were being distributed to 2,03,430 students in government junior colleges. He also called for the removal of unnecessary conditions in granting permissions to private unaided schools, and directed that approved fee structures be displayed prominently on school premises and placed in the public domain. Special focus on orphaned children The Minister asked officials to ensure that benefits under the ‘Talliki Vandanam’ scheme reached orphaned children as well.

He directed the collection of guardian details and said that, where no guardian existed, funds should be routed through District Collectors or deposited directly into the children’s bank accounts. He also proposed a permanent mechanism that would let such children access the accumulated funds after completing their education. Lokesh directed officials to make Telugu Academy textbooks easily accessible by selling them through major e-commerce platforms such as Amazon and Flipkart, so that the public could buy them online. Improving learning outcomes The Minister said students’ learning abilities should be improved and school attendance kept above 95% across the State. He asked officials to focus particularly on educationally backward districts such as Kurnool, Anantapur, Markapuram, Alluri Sitharama Raju and the Polavaram region, by reviewing teacher availability and preparing special action plans.