Praja Sankalpa Yatra Diary, Day 38: Whatever Happened To Free KG-PG Education?

Tanakantivaripalli, Anantapur district: Today’s padayatra traversed through remote hamlets and far-flung villages. I walked through crater-filled roads that haven’t seen maintenance in years. Every problem that a remote village faces can be seen here in these areas. An apology of a transportation network, a non-existent communication system and widespread poverty—these facts stare you in the face.

Yet, the people here are full of love and affection. They came running over the pebble-strewn roads, boulders and hillocks to meet me. Seeing them, memories of my late father were kindled once again deep inside me.

The people in this remote and inaccessible region still remember my father for many reasons—he ensured that the benefits of every welfare scheme percolated down to the last man. Everyone was benefited in some way or the other. Out of their sheer love and affection for him, the villagers of Elukuntla village wanted to install my late father’s statue. But the ruling party leaders are troubling and tormenting them and are using the police to thwart the installation of the statue. Can threat and oppression snuff out the love and affection that springs forth from the bottom of one’s heart?

Along the way, shepherds came to me carrying their sheep. “I saved every rupee and obtained loans to buy 150 sheep. Of them, 36 died due to afflictions. We incurred heavy losses. But, the Government is refusing to provide any compensation,” said one of them. The TDP had boasted in its election manifesto that it would put in place an insurance scheme for the sheep-rearers to insulate them. It also said that the government would pay the premium for the insurance scheme. But the situation on the ground tells a different tale altogether.

I remember that during my father’s time, there used to be tags for every sheep and the rearer would get insurance if the sheep died. This was a huge support system to the hapless sheep-rearers. All this is now history. It is sad and painful that Chandrababu, who had made tall promises to every community about setting up dedicated corporations for their welfare, conveniently slipped into amnesia once he came to power.

I covered Bilvampalli, Nelakota, Elukuntla and Tanakantivaripalli as part of my yatra today. Everywhere, there was dire poverty. The anxiety that their wards may have to drop out from schools due to crippling penury was writ large on every parent’s face. A visit to this region makes one feel how important education is for these families and in these villages. An educated child can rewrite the fate of the family and pull it out of the mire of travails and impoverishment. I stressed the same thing during my visit to these villages. I explained my Amma Vodi scheme to the womenfolk and assured them that when in power, my Government would take care of the education of their wards.

Finally, my poser to the Chief Minister!! Page No 34 of your manifesto clearly says that you would implement the Fee Reimbursement Scheme more effectively. Is it not a fact that you have completely watered down this all-important scheme? You had promised free education from KG to PG. My question is—did you even think about the project in all these four years?