Jagan cancels orders of renaming Abdul Kalam with his father YSR

Amaravati: As soon as Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy came to know the renaming of APJ Abdul Kalam with his father YS Rajasekhar Reddy, he came down heavily on the officials concerned for showing over-enthusiasm.

The sources in the Chief Minister's office informed that Jagan suggested officials to immediately cancel the GO MS No 78, on November 4, which attracted huge criticism from a wide section of people.

Further, Jagan has directed the officials concerned to give the names of prominent and real leaders who inspired the entire country, to various other schemes to be introduced in the near future. The officials informed that Mahatma Gandhi, Ambedkar and many other leaders names will be given to the programmes to encourage students, create scientific temper.

The officials informed that "Jagan did not aware of redesignating the name. He only came to know after it was in the news. Immediately, he ordered to withdraw the GO".

Now, the government redesignated the "Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam Pratibha Puraskar Awards" as "Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam Vidya Puraskar Awards" for distribution of Awards from the year 2019 onwards on the occasion of birth anniversary of Maulana Abul Kalam Azad as National Education Day on 11th November.

In fact, the then chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu Administration named these awards in the name of Abdul Kalam in 2017 to promote quality and excellence in education, through the scheme of "Pratibha Awards".

Under this scheme, meritorious students who excel in the SSC Public Examinations will be awarded merit certificates, a momento and scholarship to meet the cost of higher education.

B Rajasekhar, Principal Secretary, School Education department has issued the orders.

These awards will be distributed at the district level with the participation of District Ministers, MPs, MLAs and restricting the awards to only Government School students.