Despite a multitude of schemes, quality concerns batter school education in rural Andhra Pradesh

Academic standards remain unsatisfactory as non-appointment of teachers and strict deadlines in achieving desired learning outcomes pour cold water on the significant efforts made by teachers  Anantapur, Andhra Pradesh: “In our village, there is a huge demand for labourers during sowing and reaping seasons. If all four in my family work in the fields, we can earn Rs 2,500 a day. So it is  natural that parents intentionally prevent their children from attending school.” The preference given to work over education in rural Andhra Pradesh is clear from the words of this parent, whose sons study in classes 10 and 8.Agriculture is the mainstay at Devagiri in Bommanahal block of Anantapur district. However, those from lower castes find it difficult to get farmhands to work in their lands due to the age-old caste system. Consequently, they employ children from their own caste from nearby villages, which negatively impacts their education.A noticeable decline in student attendance is common during sowing and harvesting seasons. Despite the requirement of mandatory 75% attendance to obtain benefits under various educational schemes that the Andhra Pradesh government runs, this trend has remained irreversible.Rural teachers admitted that academic performances have remained below par, with socio-economic factors such as poverty, lack of quality education, early marriage, family responsibilities and a lack of support systems affecting students. Parents, on their part, face financial constraints and migration, which impact education of their children. Teachers see a ray of hope in the Gross Enrolment Ratio because it has successfully brought down the dropout rate to zero. At present, the government’s focus is on rural education infrastructure, policies to address access and quality, and support for marginalised communities, but how far have the benefits penetrated?A teacher teaching students of class 10, ZP Highschool, Devagiri (Photo - Paul Babu, 101Reporters)Numbers paint a good picture“For the last four years, the government has been making an annual pay of Rs 13,000 towards one of my daughters under Ammavodi scheme. I utilise it for the educational needs of my three daughters,” said Bandaru Simon (45) from Jammalamadugu in Kadapa district. Ammavodi applies to poor and needy mothers of children studying from classes one to intermediate level. So far, Rs 26,067.28 crore has been spent under the scheme to benefit 83,15,341 students by directly transferring the amount to the accounts of 42,61,965 mothers.H Anjineyya (42), Boya Raja (40), H Ramanjini (45), H Parashuram (45) and Vadde Uliganna (52) from Devagiri informed that their children also reap benefits from Ammavodi, Jagananna Vidya Kanuka and Jagananna Gorumudda. “We have not faced any problem as far as these schemes are concerned,” they said in unison.Jagananna Vidya Kanuka provides a kit comprising bilingual textbooks, notebooks, workbooks, three pairs of readymade uniform with Rs 200 to alter them, one pair of shoes, two pairs of socks, a belt, a school bag, Oxford English-Telugu Dictionary and pictorial dictionary. So far, the government has spent Rs 3,366 crore for 47,40,421 students under the scheme.With a daily menu change, Jagananna Gorumudda provides quality, tasty and hot cooked meals in schools. The government has spent Rs 3,590 crore for 43,26,782 students so far.“All 344 students in my school are beneficiaries of Ammavodi, Vidya Kanuka and Gorumudda schemes. Besides, the government has started distributing advanced tablets to class 8 students and interactive flat panels [IFPs] for all classes from last year, as part of the New National Education Policy. No doubt, these schemes have significantly reduced dropout rates... Only children of families that have migrated miss out on this opportunity,” Gujjala Nagesh, headmaster, Upper Primary School, Singanahalli, Bommanahal block, told 101Reporters.According to Eerabagatappa Kamalamma, Special Officer, Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidyalaya (KGBV), Bommanahal, all 250 girls in the school are recipients of government schemes. “Jagananna Vasathi Deevena is also applicable to us as KGBV provides intermediate education with residential facilities... Our pass percentage is always between 80 and 90%.”  Besides covering educational expenses, Jagananna Vasathi Deevena takes care of the boarding and lodging facilities of learners. Jagananna Vidya Deevena promises higher education to students from poor financial backgrounds by reimbursing the total fee on a quarterly basis to the joint accounts of mothers and their children pursuing courses in industrial training institutes (ITIs), polytechnics, degree, engineering, medicine etc. There is no limit on the number of eligible children in a family.To encourage digital mode of education, the government has so far provided 9,52,925 tablets at a cost of Rs 1,306 crore to students of class 8 and to their teachers. Tablets worth Rs 17,500 each, 62,000 IFPs, 45,000 smart TVs with digital infrastructure and internet have been provided.The schemes do not end here. Mana Badi Nadu-Nedu ensures a total revamp of 45,975 schools with an expenditure of Rs 17,805 crore in three phases. As many as 38,059 schools have been renovated so far by spending Rs 11,669 crore. According to the Nadu-Nedu website, the scheme will cover a total of 44,512 schools, including management-run residential schools. Modernisation with nine infrastructure components such as  toilets with running water, drinking water supply, major and minor repairs, electrification with fans and tube lights, furniture for students and staff, green chalk boards, painting of schools, English labs and compound walls is envisaged.Under the Swechha scheme, the government has spent Rs 32 crore to provide sanitary napkins to 10,01,860 girls. Going a step higher, Jagananna Videshi Vidya Deevena enables poor students to pursue quality overseas education by reimbursing fee up to Rs 1.25 crore to Scheduled Caste, Scheduled Tribe, Backward Classes and minority students and up to Rs 1 crore to other students, inclusive of airfare and visa charges.  In a recent interview to India Today, Chief Minister Jagan Mohan Reddy claimed that no previous government has implemented as many schemes for students because they are not voters. In 55 months since coming to power, his government has spent Rs 73,417 crore for educational reforms.Students of class 8 with their tablets (Photo - Paul Babu, 101Reporters)Turning doles into assetsThe government has gone all out to revive the education sector, but has the money spent been turned into assets for future/present education? Surely, the assistance has helped keep children at school by making up for the money they would have got for the family through occasional daily labour. Beyond addressing this basic issue, have the benefits trickled in to ensure a change in attitude?When 101Reporters quizzed 45 students studying in different classes and from different villages to learn how the assistance was utilised, all of them said the money was spent on family needs.According to information gathered by 101Reporters from 25 senior teachers in Anantapur district, schemes have increased student enrolment, but achieving desired learning outcomes with the existing staff remains a major challenge. The government expects fast results by putting pressure on teachers and students by assigning weekly and monthly deadlines, but teachers said only two or three students in a class performed above average. Furthermore, the initial two years of the current government's tenure were heavily impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. Teachers face challenges due to the limited time to implement reforms, inadequate training and a lack of motivation. They have 40 tasks to complete on working days, and some of them struggle due to limited online skills. Poor network coverage and server down issues also take up their time.In accordance with the government order number 117, classes 3, 4, and 5 of primary schools have been merged with upper primary schools. Subjects, including Test of English as a Foreign Language, are taught from class 3. The adoption of a uniform syllabus is underway, with all subjects presented in a bilingual format. The teachers will undergo a learning improvement programme to fully grasp the concepts before imparting lessons to children.However, the primary education reforms have not gone down well with the Andhra Pradesh Teachers' Federation, which organised a 100-day movement to oppose the merger reform in 2022, arguing that it diminished educational standards and denied quality education to the poor.Shortage of teachersRural high schools face shortage of non-teaching and teaching staff. The government introduced new schemes with a student-centric approach. However, school education can be strengthened when it implements appropriate measures from the perspective of teachers as well. “Even when they cannot afford private school education, parents are preferring it because government schools have teacher shortages. Ammavodi covered all students in a family earlier, but it is now limited to one child. Some parents still send their children to school for free lunch,” said Samuelraj, a proponent of Dr B R Ambedkar's ideology. “The government closed around 10,000 primary schools, making children aged between five and 10 to travel three to five km for education. Not all villages have proper roads, bus facilities or autos,” he added.Lashing out at Education Minister Botsa Satyanarayana last July for his remark that subject teachers cannot be allocated to schools with fewer than 98 students, Communist Party of India state secretary K Ramakrishna said around 9,000 primary schools have one teacher, and another 4,234 have been merged with upper primary and high schools. Many villages now host one or two classes, and many mothers report exclusion from Ammavodi. Complaints also arise about the poor quality of bags and shoes provided under Vidya Kanuka. Videshi Vidya Deevena is still a distant dream, he alleged.  The reforms were believed to have contributed to the poor class 10 results in 2021-2022, with not a single student passing the examinations in 71 schools. Anantapur district performed worse, recording a pass rate of 49.7%. Recently, the state government released a District Selection Committee notification to fill 6,100 teaching posts. However, this drew opposition from other political parties, teachers’ unions and student bodies as the state requires filling of 50,000 such posts.  “While in the Opposition, Jagan Mohan Reddy had raised concerns about the delay in filling 33,000 teaching posts. However, he overlooked it after assuming office. The present announcement is made in the wake of the Lok Sabha and Vidhan Sabha elections,” claimed teacher aspirants. They said over 10 lakh people in the state are Teacher Eligibility Test qualified.  Edited by Rekha PulinnoliCover Photo - Observing the learning improvement program for students of class 6, Gonehal, Bommanahal Mandal (Photo - Paul Babu, 101Reporters)

Chilli leaves a bad taste as losses mount for cultivators in Andhra Pradesh's Bandur

Tenants and small farmers hit the most due to three consecutive crop loss years, with rain and pest infestations doing the most damage  Anantapur, Andhra Pradesh: Untimely rain has always been a cause of worry for tenant farmers in Bandur panchayat of Andhra Pradesh's Anantapur district. Once in every three years, or sometimes yearly, they lose their crops to rain — a major reason for their high indebtedness. “We suffer losses either due to excess rain or lack of it. The past three years have been difficult as the chilli crop was affected in one way or the other. I invested Rs 70,000 per acre, but got hardly Rs 30,000 in return. At least 20 families in my area suffered similar losses,” said Sikkanna (36), a tenant farmer from Bandur.Famed for its glossy red colour and hot flavour, Andhra Pradesh chilli has been ruling the spice markets, but that has not helped farmers cultivating leased plots. As if uncertainties and hardships of tenancy were not enough, they also had to deal with virus infestations. Tenant farmers Urimindi Gangadhar (40) and Talari Nagaraju (52) lost their chilli crop thrice, which made them turn to full-time farm labour. “We have stopped growing chilli," they said. "I am growing paddy and maize as my chilli crop failed thrice,” said Kavali Ramesh (36), who also takes up tenant farming when weather is favourable.“This time, chillies grown in red soil were more prone to viruses than those in black soil. At least two quintals of yield is likely from the latter, but I am hopeless about the red soil one. Now the market rate per quintal is from Rs 18,000 to 25,000. When all conditions favour, 12 quintals of chilli can be produced from an acre, fetching a profit of Rs 30,000 to 50,000 per acre,” Bollanaguddam Naveen (24),  a farmer-cum-tenant farmer from Devagiri, told 101Reporters.“I am still struggling to pay the interest on crop loans. Even in times of losses, we have to pay the landowner's rent as agreed upon initially. I do not know anything about the Crop Cultivation Rights Card that the government offers,” Sikkanna added.  Infected chilli crop in the farm (Photo - Paul Babu, 101Reporters)Cultivation rights card missing In 2019, Andhra Pradesh government introduced the AP Crop Cultivator Rights Act, 2019, to recognise and include tenant farmers in all its schemes by issuing a Crop Cultivator Rights Card (CCRC). The Revenue Department will issue the card once a tenant submits the agreement reached on land cultivation with the owner for a 11-month period. The document should be duly signed by the landowner. The village revenue officer in the village secretariat should countersign it.  However, most tenant farmers and landowners are unaware of CCRC. “Traditionally, all landowner-tenant relationships are oral, without formal agreements,” said Chennareddy Basavaraju, a Bommanahal-based landowner and farmer whose fields are in Devagiri.  Marineni Anjaneyulu (60), another landowner, said the traditional arrangement has been working smoothly for both parties. “I do not know about this Act. Our farming contracts are only oral agreements. We know the difficulties of tenant farmers and offer help in times of crop loss.”  Gadekota Senjappa (48), a landowner-cum-farmer from Devagiri, said, "Like me, some farmers make full investment for the crop. The sharecropper [tenant] must do everything from sowing to reaping. After the yield is sold, the investor takes his entire money back and shares the profit evenly."  According to Rythu Swarajya Vedika (RSV), which works extensively on the issues and rights of farmers, Anantapur district had a total of 54,941 tenant farmers in 2021-22. Of them, only 1,073 received CCRCs. The data for the current year from Rythu Bharosa Kendra (RBK) of Bandur panchayat indicated that only 13 tenant farmers had applied for CCRCs.  Some tenant farmers argue that landowners’ consent and signature are the main barriers for applying. Landowners fear they will lose ownership rights and they will have to pay up the bank loans if the tenants default.  The Government of India’s 2018 report on the strategy for doubling farmers' income by 2022 addresses three main concerns: removing fear from landowners about losing land rights through leasing, building trust between landowners and tenants, and implementing necessary amendments in tenancy laws to make land leasing legal and open.  The Tenant Farmers Study Report-2022 from RSV makes five crucial recommendations to ensure justice to them (pp no.19). Amending the Crop Cultivator Rights Act, assigning the verification process to local government officials with a robust grievance redressal system, launching a high-profile campaign to assure landowners of their secure ownership title, establishing a comprehensive mechanism for bank loans, and recognising and addressing the unique challenges they face are these five recommendations.  “The 2019 Act needs to be amended to eliminate the need for landowner’s signature. It is impractical and unfair. A robust grievance mechanism is an immediate need to equally benefit  tenant farmers and landowners,” Kiran Kumar Vissa, co-founder, RSV, told 101Reporters over the phone.  Tenant farmers worried about their crop (Photo - Paul Babu, 101Reporters)Poramboke farmers seek cultivation certificate Many farmers owning less than five acres cultivate one to two acres of poramboke (waste) land as well to increase their earnings. Around 100 acres of poramboke land in Bandur has been under cultivation for the last two decades. Five small farmers told 101Reporters on condition of anonymity that farm labour was a better option these days as men are paid Rs 400 and women Rs 300 per day. "For applying fertilisers and pesticides during the kharif season, Rs 500 is the daily wage,” they reasoned.They said land rent for leased plots was Rs 30,000 a year with water facilities, and 25,000 without water facilities. "Government schemes do not help us. The RBKs mostly benefit big farmers,” they added. Some of them work as tenant farmers in landowners' plots and cultivate poramboke land, besides cultivating their own plots.  "We could not get hold of the certificate of cultivation from the Revenue Department, despite requesting help from various political parties," they claimed. This certificate serves as an official documentation confirming the ownership of crops cultivated on the specified land. Vissa said the certificate enabled poramboke farmers to access governmental schemes. "Once they apply, the revenue officials conduct a physical verification to ensure that cultivation is happening on that land.” Asked about the process, a Revenue Department official said on condition of anonymity that poramboke farmers can obtain the certificate by approaching the department through their elected representative, sarpanch and decisions taken at village meetings. "Tenancy cultivation attestation falls within the purview of our department through RBKs," he said.Farmer Patnamshetty Mallikarjuna applying pesticides and hoping for a good yield (Photo - Paul Babu, 101Reporters)Rising pest problem“I expected 15 quintals of chilli yield from my one-and-a-half acre plot. Three months into cultivation, a virus infected it despite taking all precautions. I have no hopes now. I have got an e-crop booking done at RBK for crop insurance. No one from the agriculture department visited my field, but representatives of fertiliser shops came and identified Geminivirus,” Patnamshetty Mallikarjuna (48), a farmer-cum-landowner from Devagiri, told 101Reporters.According to the Department of Plant Pathology, SV Agriculture College, Tirupati, chilli suffers from a large number of viral, fungal, nematode and phytoplasma diseases, and chilli leaf curl (Begomovirus), cucumber mosaic, groundnut bud necrosis, tomato spotted wilt, watermelon bud necrosis, capsicum chlorosis, pepper mild mottle and tobacco mosaic viruses. A village agriculture assistant said on condition of anonymity that the chilli crop came under the Horticulture Department. "They have to make field visits and suggest control measures. They will do it," he said. 101Reporters made repeated attempts to contact Rayadurgam Division Horticulture Officer, but there was no response.  Meanwhile, Mukkayyagari Onnuruswamy (55), a tenant farmer from Bandur whose three-acre chilli crop was damaged by the virus, claimed that in his 30 years of experience, he had not once seen any personnel from the agriculture and horticulture departments in his fields. Echoing him, Bommanahal resident Komma Jagadiswara Reddy (60) said the virus infected three acres of his chilli crop in Devagiri. "At the most I may get four quintals. I invested Rs 3 lakh. No agriculture officer visited my field. No one comes to our rescue,” he bemoaned.Banduru, Devagiri and Haresamudram come under Bandur Panchayat. "According to panchayat records, farmers have e-cropped 706 acres of chilli cultivation. Many have informed us about the crop loss. Remedial measures should be recommended by the horticulture officer,” Gajjela Srikanth, Village Agriculture Assistant, RBK, Bandur, told 101Reporters. "If the crops are damaged by too much rain or drought, the government may offer compensation. For virus infestation, it is unlikely. Horticulture officials will visit the fields if the virus is widespread and severe and suggest control measures. If the virus cannot be determined, the case will be referred to scientists," sources in both horticulture and agriculture departments said.Survey for the Incidence of Viral Diseases in Chilli in Andhra Pradesh, published by the International Journal of Current Microbiology and Applied Sciences in 2019, said that viral disease is one of the major limiting factors in chilli production. Maximum disease incidence of 45.05% was recorded from Narpali mandal of Anantapur.According to farmers, chillies were grown in nearly 6,000 acres this time under Tungabhadra Project High Level Canal, but virus infestation ruined the yield. “I may get only four quintals from two acres against the 12 quintals that I can actually make from the six-month crop. This is the third consecutive year of loss. I have a loan of Rs 90,000 to pay back. The government should help small farmers like me, who are cultivating poramboke land, without setting conditions,” said Urumindi Onnurswamy (46) of Bandur. Tenant farmers are an increasingly vulnerable group who face high cultivation costs and land rents, are dependent on landowners and are excluded from government schemes such as interest-free loans, crop insurance and disaster compensation. Edited by Rekha PulinnoliCover Photo - Mukkayyagari Onnuruswamy, a tenant farmer tilling the chilli crop in Devagiri

Clap mitras of Andhra Pradesh serve 250 houses in four hours, but payments never come on time

Lack of funds keeps sanitation activities low-key, aiding open dumping and burning of waste in panchayats of Bommanahal block of Anantapur districtBommanahal, Anantapur: Dressed in a lungi and shirt with a headscarf tied around his head, Gonduru Ondrappa Bhimlinga (60) starts pedalling the tricycle provided by the panchayat around 6 am. A dedicated Clean Andhra Pradesh Mitra (clap mitra), his aim is to collect waste — dry, wet and hazardous — from houses lining the four streets that he serves in Bommanahal block (mandal) of Anantapur district.He works only from 6 am to 10 am, but his job is quite challenging if one considers the number of households he is supposed to cover within those few hours. Every clap mitra is responsible for door-to-door waste collection from 250 households, or 1,000 people, every single day. Bhimlinga has to stop at each house. Since most of the villagers go to their fields before dawn, they keep the waste bags outside. But those unwilling to comply just throw household waste on the road. He clears it, but does not hesitate to counsel people not to discard waste openly as he moves around with the tricycle. “I have been working as a clap mitra since 2019. I try to finish work in one street within an hour. A lot of waste accumulates during marriages and cultural events. I need to collect waste from primary school, high school, village secretariat, clinic, rythu bharosa [a state government scheme to financially assist farmers] call centre and shops,” Bhimlinga told 101Reporters. By the time he finished his duty, he would have visited the dumpsite located on the village outskirts thrice to empty the tricycle. Despite his good work, he has not got his monthly payment of Rs 6,000 for the last 11 months. Even otherwise, regular payment is a luxury as clap mitras are paid in every three or six months only. According to Bhimlinga, two weeks ago, clap mitras submitted a memorandum to Anantapur District Collector M Gowthami seeking the immediate settlement of dues.Gonduru Ondrappa Bhimlinga starts work at 6 am and goes around till 10 am, collecting garbage from 250 households (Photo - Paul Babu, 101Reporters) Local YSRCP leader Padma Chandra Sekhar Reddy asserted that clap mitras in Sreedharaghatta panchayat were getting payments every month. “We collect Rs 2 per day from each house in the panchayat to make their payments before the fifth of every month.” Unfortunately, this arrangement is present only in Sreedharaghatta.Bhimlinga said the authorities in the village where he worked had discontinued the services of two other clap mitras citing fund constraints. The lack of funds seems to have a lasting impact on waste management efforts. As a result, open dumping and burning of waste are prevalent in the villages of the block.  All-in-one solutionLocals admit that they dump all sorts of waste — be it domestic, agricultural or livestock — separately in a nearby dumpsite. This very act forfeits proper waste management as chances of them getting mixed are quite high. On top of that, the locals burn all the accumulated waste once a month, upping air pollution to a great extent.  No doubt, locals know nothing about IEC (information, education and communication) on waste management. It is compulsory to hold grama sabha (village assembly) at least four times a year to create awareness in the community on several fronts, including waste management. During the last grama sabha on October 2 (Gandhi Jayanti), panchayat president and Panchayati Raj officials addressed only the water and power supply issues of some villagers.A former clap mitra claimed the situation was similar during all grama sabhas. “The meeting is just for namesake purposes. No one says a word about waste management there,” he said on condition of anonymity.  Incidentally, the clap mitra system was launched on October 2, 2021.Some residents have not even attended the grama sabha once. “We neither attended nor received the respective blue, green and red bins for dry, wet and hazardous waste,” they said. In short, waste collection is poor in many areas and no data could be accessed on whether the households take up waste disposal practices. According to the Panchayati Raj Department, Bommanahal block has 19 panchayats, 14,245 households, 72 clap mitras, 11 sheds, 59 NADEP composting pits and four incinerators. However, some areas such as a street near Kuruvalli Road, streets near steel factory and Devagiri Cross do not have a waste collection system in place. “We dump waste on the street corner and burn it once a month,” said Chakali Naganna (45) and four others.(Above) An open dumpsite in Bommanahal mandal where waste is dumped and burned; (below) In the same village runs a rivulet clogged with waste (Photos - Paul Babu, 101Reporters)In Bommanahal village, a rivulet has turned into a dumping spot. A mosque and an English medium school where over 1,000 students study are beside the water body. “The rivulet is full of reeds, rushes and waste. We will clean it soon by engaging an excavator and clap mitras,” Bommanahal panchayat secretary Sheik Baba Fakruddin told 101Reporters.Many households and small shops do not have access to waste collection services. So, they throw the wastewater onto the roads, wash their clothes and even bathe their children there. Waste from individual households, tea shops, chicken stalls, garages and general stores still leads to unsightly streets."There are 1,152 households, seven clap mitras, 24 NADEP pits and one shed in our panchayat. Even if households do open dumping, clap mitras go and collect the waste. So, there is no open burning in our panchayat," Darga Honnur panchayat secretary Madamanchi Kullai Naidu told 101Reporters. Tied down by lack of fundsA solid wealth process centre (SWPC) functions at every panchayat in Bommanahal block. It is actually a dumpsite where segregation of solid and wet waste takes place. A clap mitra functions as a 'shed man', who segregates solid, wet and dry waste. The compost generated is sold to third parties to maintain cleanliness within the panchayat. The revenue received is invested in community awareness programmes on waste disposal.“Almost all the residents are farmers. Most of them compost the wet waste generated in their households and use it in their fields. Hence, not even 150 gm of wet waste comes here from each house. So, there is not much work in the shed,” Naidu told 101Reporters. “We use livestock waste as manure in our fields. If there is a surplus, we sell it for Rs 4,000 per tractor,” Kattebasanna Hunumantappa (65), a resident of the block, added. The sheds in Bandur, Bollanaguddam, Gonehal, Haresamudram, Kolaganahalli, Nemakallu and Untakallu panchayats do not have power and water supply. The shed in Bommanahal panchayat became inoperative after it was gutted in a fire a year ago. There are no sheds in Elanji, Kuruvalli, Lingadahal, Siddarampuram, Singanahalli and Upparahal panchayats. 101Reporters tried to contact the respective panchayat secretaries thrice over phone. One of them avoided saying the mobile battery was out of charge and the other sent an SMS saying he was attending a Google meet. According to the Panchayati Raj Department, lack of funds and other priorities are behind the poor condition of SWPCs. Each panchayat has its own priorities such as concrete roads, drainage construction, water connections and motor repairs. The panchayat president usually decides the priorities, while taking into account the opinion of the majority of grama sabha attendees. Moreover, SWPCs are not prioritised because they are more labour-intensive, but without much returns.An unused shed overgrown with trees in Bommanahal mandal (Photo - Paul Babu, 101Reporters) YSRCP leader Reddy's words attest this fact. “Sreedharaghatta panchayat has 720 households, four clap mitras, 11 NADEP pits, one shed. Under the Grama Sachivalayam Fund and Gadapa Gadapaku Mana Prabhutvam scheme, the panchayat has been sanctioned a total of Rs 30 lakh. Most of it will be used for drainage systems and some for waste management,” he said.The 15th Finance Commission recommends that 30% of the tied grants of rural local bodies should be earmarked for sanitation and maintenance of open defecation-free status, including management and treatment of household waste.  Shadow of caste“There is no separate allocation of funds/budget for waste management in panchayats. We utilise some amount either from the general fund or as per the guidelines laid down by the 15th Finance Commission to buy broomsticks, soaps, masks, gloves and safety jackets. Priorities are decided through grama sabhas and funds utilised accordingly,” Sheik Shakila Begum, Mandal Parishad Development Officer, Bommanahal, told 101Reporters.However, clap mitras begged to differ. They said they have not been getting detergents, bath soaps, gloves and masks for months together. Safety jackets and uniforms are also not provided. "We have no weekly offs, holidays, social security and periodical health checkups." While acknowledging that clap mitras have remained unpaid for the last 11 months, Dulla Vijayamma, Extension Officer of Panchayati Raj and Rural Development, told 101Reporters that they were issuing periodically whatever was required for waste collection. "Overdue salaries will be settled as soon as funds are available,” she said.The National Institute of Rural Development and Panchayati Raj's 2016 guide on solid waste management has clearly stated that sanitation workers should undergo periodical health checkups and get a weekly off-on-rotation basis. Along with their monthly wages, they should be supplied with two detergent and two bath soaps.A few Scheduled Caste clap mitras claimed they were being subjected to caste discrimination. “Though the caste system was abolished in 1948, the two tumbler system is still prevalent. For cutting hair, we have to go elsewhere. This is our reality. As recently as in 2020, the then district Collector, Gandham Chandrudu, directed the officials to rename their colonies after social reformers and freedom fighters. As many as 480 colonies in Anantapur district have been renamed,” a former clap mitra, who is a graduate, said on condition of anonymity.“Clap mitras do the job that others cannot do, but they do not get social respect and opportunities. Others cannot do this cleaning work, but they get social respect and opportunities,” a volunteer who is part of the Village Volunteers System of Andhra Pradesh summed up.Edited by Rekha PulinnoliCover Photo - Clap mitra Gonduru Ondrappa Bhimlinga collecting waste on his tricycle (Photo - Paul Babu, 101Reporters) 

Schools in Bommanahal dish out mid-day meals without cooking sheds, storerooms

About 80% of the schools in rural areas of Anantapur district of Andhra Pradesh do not have facilities to run Jagananna Gorumudda SchemeAnantapur, Andhra Pradesh: In her role as the main cook of the Zilla Parishad High School at Devagiri, the first task of Boya Gouramma (43) is to get fresh vegetables for the nutritious meals provided under the Andhra Pradesh government’s Jagananna Gorumudda Scheme. Around 3 am on every working day, she travels with her son on a two-wheeler or takes an auto to the vegetable market located 25 km away, in Bellary of neighbouring Karnataka. She returns home with the vegetables around 6 am, and starts cooking the curry to be served to the school students for lunch at her home itself. A total of 191 students study in Devagiri high school in Bommanahal block (mandal) of Anantapur district. On average, 150 students attend. However, there is no cooking shed on the school premises, due to which a small unused room serves as kitchen. Gouramma carries the curry to the school around 10 am. Subsequently, she and helpers Boya Sunkanna and Boya Thippamma handle the rest of the cooking there.  All of them have been serving as mid-day meal workers in the school since 2019.“Vegetables should be fresh, so I go to Bellary to bring them. According to the number of the students present, the headmaster provides us with rice, ragi flour, jaggery, eggs and peanut-chikkis,” Gouramma tells 101Reporters.After cleaning utensils and washing rice, they cook it on an LPG stove. The food is ready by 11.30 am, and the children line up for lunch once the headmaster tastes the meal. After serving food to the children and cleaning the utensils, Gouramma and helpers return home by 2 pm.Golle Onnuru Swamy (46) has a similar schedule. He also heads to Bellary, located 45 km from Govindawada, in an auto around 3 am. After buying vegetables, he goes straight to the Zilla Parishad High School at Govindawada around 6 am, where his team of helpers — Golle Umaraj, Oggani Hanumappa, Golle Lakshmi, Golle Sunkamma and Oggani Obulamma — would start their work by cleaning utensils and vegetables.Together, they form the Dharani self-help group (SHG) that has been dishing out nutritious meals to the students of the school in Bommanahal block since 2008. “We have been providing quality meals as per the menu. That is why our SHG is able to continue till now,” Swamy, the main cook, tells 101Reporters.   Once the cleaning is over, the headmaster checks the freshness of vegetables. “We start preparing meals after eating breakfast brought from home. It will be half past eleven when the cooking is done,” he adds. The lunchtime is at 12.15 pm. When the bell rings, girls and boys line up separately. After distributing the lunch, the team has to clean the utensils and cooking area. “It will be half past two when we finish our work,” says Swamy.Serving meals to students, Zilla Parishad High School, Govindawada (Photo - Paul Babu, 101Reporters)Brewing issuesKnown earlier as mid-day meal scheme, the Jagananna Gorumudda Scheme with its enhanced menu has received positive feedback. Studying in classes 9 and 10 in Devagiri school, Nimbagallu Charan Kumar, Kandepalli Anjali, Vadde Lakshmi and Boya Surendra are happy with the food they receive. For them, Thursday's menu is special as they get sambarbath on that day.However, the scheme faces several challenges. There is no cooking shed in Govindawada school where 746 children study. The workers use firewood for cooking as LPG cylinders are expensive. “During rainy and windy seasons, it is difficult to prepare meals outside. We have been working like this since 2008. In all seasons, be it summer, winter, rainy or windy, we need to bring fresh vegetables from Bellary,” says Swamy.Delayed payment is another major issue. “The bills [the money spent on food materials] for the months of July and August have not been paid yet. Four years ago, we did not get the payment for eight months. However, we worked without any complaint. The government should look into our practical difficulties and support us accordingly,” he says.“Now, we get Rs 8.55 for one meal per head. It should be increased according to the market rate. In July and August, we bought one kg ginger for Rs 400 and 25 kg of tomatoes for Rs 3,250. As we travel frequently, accident and group insurance coverage is good for us, if the government provides,” he adds. In a month, the SHG spends Rs 70,000 to 80,000 buying food items to run the scheme.“Despite working hard for 15 years, our honorarium is only Rs 3,000. It does not match with our labour. Sometimes, there is a delay in payment as well,” says one of the helpers, on condition of anonymity.Gouramma says prices of LPG cylinders, ingredients and vegetables have gone up. “It would be good if the government arranges cooking sheds, storage facilities and insurance, and increase the price per head according to the market rate.”Boiled eggs kept ready to serve (Photo - Paul Babu, 101Reporters)  Teachers’ supervision plays a role  There are 50 schools, including primary, upper primary and high schools, in Bommanahal block. “Our school has the highest number of 746 students in the block. We need to feed around 700 daily. There is enough fresh water and a 10-acre ground for extracurricular activities,” Rachuri Soorudu, headmaster, Govindawada Zilla Parishad High School, tells 101Reporters.To maintain the quality of food, one subject teacher strictly supervises the cleaning and cooking activities every day. “We use 90 to 100 kg of fortified rice per day. Eggs are given five days a week, while ragi java [finger millet malt] and chickpeas are given three days a week on alternate working days. We implement the menu strictly. In certain periods like shravana masam, some students do not consume eggs,” he informs.Twice a week, the staff of the primary health centre conduct health check-ups for students. If anyone is found to be suffering from anaemia and low weight, he/she is given medicines.“We conduct a toolbox talk with the workers at the cooking area daily on how to maintain hygiene. As a result, no issue of food poisoning has arisen so far. We strictly monitor the food items daily and use fresh vegetables only,” Soorudu says, adding that there is no caste discrimination in the school.Teachers highlight that all activities under the scheme and toilet maintenance fund should be uploaded in IMMS (Integrated Monitoring System for Mid-day Meal and Sanitation) app every day. Tasting register should be maintained offline, and the mandal education officer (MEO) would randomly carry out inspections. The app will update the daily menu details and allow authorities to promptly address complaints, if any."The scheme has been implemented without any irregularities as the supervision of teachers is good. But, to achieve 100% desired results, a cooking shed, storage facility, community dining hall, water supply and a dedicated cleaner should be present. About 80% of schools in rural areas of Anantapur district do not have cooking sheds. Teachers raise these issues in block level meets and headmaster meets,” a senior teacher with 25 years of service and two cluster resource persons told 101Reporters on condition of anonymity.According to teaching staff who wish to be anonymous, the cooking setup is mostly temporary. In many schools, the workers use unused rooms. In some schools, temporary kitchens were arranged through donations. Due to lack of shared dining halls, students eat their meals in classrooms or on verandas.  The staff claim that in a school in Bommanahal block, three groups of workers stopped their mid-day meal services in just a year due to irregular payments.Rachuri Soorudu, Head Master checking the quality of meals (Photo - Paul Babu, 101Reporters)'Facilities in six months'  “We have instructions from higher authorities to complete new school buildings under the Mana Badi-Nadu Nedu programme soon, and to monitor and provide progress details about it. The MEOs and headmasters are looking after these works,” said Uppara Veeranna, MEO-1, and Kummara Chandra Sekhar, headmaster, Elanji Primary School. Every block has two MEOs, one looks after academic affairs and the other administrative affairs. “We have inspected the scheme’s functioning in 46 of the total 50 schools. No irregularities have come to our notice. There are no complaints either,” MEO-2 Vuddula Mallikarjuna tells 101Reporters.“There is a possibility of completing construction of cooking sheds and storerooms before December. We have made requests to the district education officer in this regard. Under Nadu Nedu, all works will be completed in six months. After that, everything will be fine, from classroom to toilet. There is no corruption in the utilisation of funds as every detail has to be uploaded online,” Mallikarjuna says.Devagiri school comes under Bandur panchayat, whose welfare assistant Chirutala Pruthvi says he checks the quality of the meals at least thrice a week. "The policewoman on duty also checks randomly. So far, no irregularities or complaints have come to our notice," he says.Andhra Pradesh Food Commission Chairman Chitta Vijaya Prasad Reddy conducted random inspections in Anantapur district two months ago and expressed satisfaction on the scheme’s implementation.The 11th AP JRM report (Andhra Pradesh Joint Review Mission Report on Mid-day Meal Scheme in Visakhapatnam and East Godavari for 2018-19) published on the website of Pradhan Mantri Poshan Shakti Nirman (PM POSHAN) had observed 14 good practices, highlighted nine areas of concern and made 12 recommendations for the scheme’s effective implementation.  Edited by Rekha PulinnoliCover Photo - Serving meals to students, Zilla Parishad High School, Govindawada (Photo - Paul Babu, 101Reporters)

Limited bus service hampers daily life in border village of Devagiri

Nestled close to the Andhra Pradesh-Karnataka border, Devagiri and its surrounding villages remain unserviced by the state transport corporation, save for a single mofussil bus that plies twice a day each way. Devagiri, Andhra Pradesh: Boya Adarsh, Koti Boya Jaswanth, Boya Akash, Boya Basavaraju, and two students at Bommanahal Junior College, have missed the only morning bus that plies through Devagiri and are walking to the institute, about 7 km away. The boys tell 101Reporters that since walking is time-consuming and exhausting, when the bus is delayed or if they miss it, they have to either hope to find an auto rickshaw or hitch rides on bikes. The collapse of the Kandepalli bridge last year left the village without a bus service for nearly three months, they say.To anyone from the outside, the serene village of Devagiri, nestled amidst the hillocks of Anantapur district, paints a charming picture. But for its inhabitants, routine life is difficult due to inadequate public transport. Devagiri is 520 km away from Vijayawada and 90 km from Anantapur district capital. Devagiri has an anganwadi, a government primary school and a village secretariat, but it remains wanting in terms of public transport and infrastructure. Morapudi Chola Raj Kumar, YCP (Yuvajana Sramika Rythu Congress Party) state commerce secretary, stresses the need to improve bus services for Devagiri’s population of 3,500 people. Andhra Pradesh State Road Transport Corporation (APSRTC) is operating only one service from Uravakonda to Bellary via Devagiri with two trips a day each way. There is no railway station nearby. Bus arriving at Bommanahal from Devagiri (Photo - Paul Babu, 101Reporters)The struggle for public transport is not for the students alone but for everyone who has to travel to neighbouring villages or towns for work, errands or healthcare necessities. It is the same for daily commuters who live nearby but work in Devagiri. Employees risk arriving late for work, hampering productivity. Those who can afford the luxury of a two-wheeler also find that it eats into their modest monthly budget. The 18 staff members of Devagiri Zilla Parishad High School, including primary school staff members, who come from various nearby places like Uddehal, Bommanahal, Kalyandurg, Uravakonda, Gutti, Anantapur and Bellary have chosen to hire a private taxi. Headmaster Changala Mallikarjuna adds, “The timings of the bus service don’t coincide with that of the school so we rely on personal transport or opt for carpooling etc. But it can be expensive.” Then there are the aged, the ailing or even pregnant women for whom routine check-ups end up being delayed or rescheduled because of the erratic schedules of the buses. Devagiri Shankarappa, a farmer who has lived in the village for almost 50 years also complains about the limited bus service. “Travelling anywhere outside Devagiri, be it Kalyandurg, Rayadurgam or Anantapur, is very difficult without a reliable bus service,” he says. Homemaker Burujula Manimala from neighbouring Haresamudram, who was married into a family in Devagiri, also rues the insufficient service. “There are no auto-rickshaws if I want to visit my village either,” she says, adding that it is even harder for girl students.Devagiri seems so off the radar that the so-called bus stop does not have a signboard. This often causes confusion and inconveniences commuters, especially those unfamiliar with the route.A community-based youth initiative provides respite to a small extent to those travelling between Devagiri and Bommanahal. It also helps generate employment, with the youth of the locality plying 10 vehicles including three auto rickshaws between Devagiri and Bommanahal, 7.5 km away, every day from morning to evening apart from emergency services. Burujula Srikanth, a volunteer, says he will be notifying authorities concerned about having a signboard installed at the bus stop. He recalls how his own efforts to complete a bachelor’s degree were cut short by insufficient access to regular transport. “I couldn’t afford to move to nearby towns to study and transport from here was the same even then,” he says. YCP’s Raj Kumar admits that apart from financial constraints, limited transport options often force students to abandon their dreams of pursuing higher education. “All the higher education institutes are in nearby towns such as Rayadurgam, Kalyandurg and Anantapur so insufficient transport is a significant factor leading to dropouts in the village,” he says.Students returning from junior college on foot as the bus was late (Photo - Paul Babu, 101Reporters)APSRTC says public demand is crucial According to Kuruba Sambasiva, assistant depot clerk-cum-controller, APSRTC there is a service each from Uravakonda to Bellary via Devagiri at 9 am and 2 pm and another service each from Bellary to Uravakonda at 1 pm and 4 pm, covering seven major villages along the route. “APSRTC may consider the possibility of increasing the bus frequency if the occupancy ratio exceeds 60 persons per bus. But the decision to increase the frequency lies with the regional and depot managers,” he says.A bus driver with APSRTC, on condition of anonymity, notes that this capacity is easily met on regular days. “Every single service operating from Uravakonda reaches its full capacity (60 persons for a single service) on regular days with the demand increasing during festivals and special occasions. The poor condition of the roads further delays the service. The bus starts from Uravakonda and arrives at Devagiri after covering villages such as Nerimetla, Rayanapalli, Honnuru, Govindawada and Bandaru.Speaking over the phone to 101Reporters, Balaji Dayal, Uravakonda depot manager, APSRTC, says requests from the public are necessary to resolve the matter. “As of now, no requests or representations have been received for increasing bus services. APSRTC would need to obtain a permit from the government of Karnataka to proceed. While Raj Kumar, whose spouse Radhika is the Panchayat President, admits that they haven't formally approached the state to request an increase in the frequency of buses, he assures that it is on the agenda once the state elections in Telangana, due in the next six months, are wrapped up. Edited by Sajini Sahadevan Cover photo - Passengers at the bus stop of Devagiri (Photo - Paul Babu, 101Reporters)