Hyderabad: Deputy chief minister Bhatti Vikramarka on Friday said the state govt is seriously considering extending free breakfast to students in all govt schools, provided the financial situation improves and resources are mobilised.Speaking at a public meeting held to mark 150 years of Mogiligidda High School in Mogiligidda village of Rangareddy district, he said the initiative is already being implemented on a pilot basis in chief minister A Revanth Reddy’s Kodangal assembly constituency.
He said the govt’s intent was clear and firm, and if financial conditions turn favourable, the scheme would be rolled out across the state. The proposal, he said, is being deliberated with a focus on the nutritional needs of children, noting that poor nutrition during the growing years hampers physical and mental development. Emphasising the importance of inclusive education, Bhatti said a common school system is essential for building a cohesive society.He said the govt has taken up the construction of Young India Integrated Residential Schools, each spread over 25 acres at a cost of ₹200 crore. Construction, he added, has begun simultaneously in 100 assembly constituencies.Healthcare holds keyHe said Telangana’s ability to compete globally depends on the quality of its human resources. Strengthening education and healthcare, he added, is key to building a strong and resilient economy. He said the ‘people’s govt’ has placed free education and healthcare at the core of its policy priorities.Bhatti said the Mogiligidda school has a rich legacy of producing eminent personalities who have served the nation and society, including former CMs Burgula Ramakrishna Rao and Marri Chenna Reddy, former Uttar Pradesh governor Satyanarayana Reddy, among others.
