VISAKHAPATNAM: Schools will be made accessible to all habitations in the State during the current year with the goal of achieving total literacy by 2010 by providing education to all, Minister for Primary Education N. Rajyalakshmi has said.

Addressing a regional review of the department in the three north coastal, East Godavari and Guntur districts with particular emphasis on Sarva Siksha Abhiyan (SSA) and girls' education here on Thursday, the Minister said programmes taken up under SSA should be speeded up so as to fruitfully utilise the Rs.1,100 crores budgetary provision.

The Minister admitted that in the Indiramma villages' works were going on at a slow pace and there was lack of coordination. It was important to meet the targets for civil works during the current year as 75 per cent funds would be released by the Centre and 25 per cent by the State Government. From next year onwards, it would be 50 per cent each. Even as she wanted civil works to be speeded up, she said a foolproof internal audit would be introduced. She wanted mid-day meal and the total learning material programmes also to be implemented well by plugging loopholes.

Infrastructure

P. Krishnayya, Secretary, Education, said that besides the budget under SSA and Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidyalaya, Rs.300 crores for development of infrastructure in high schools and funds under Andhra Pradesh Urban Services and Twelfth Finance Commission were available. In addition, drinking water and toilets were being provided in 25,000 schools. If the works were completed properly, in another year other schools could also be provided all facilities, he said. During a detailed review that followed, Mr. Krishnayya said wherever high schools and junior colleges were together facing space crunch, junior colleges should look for alternative sites.

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