Srikakulam: Lockdown stalls Naadu-Nedu works

Srikakulam: The state government's prestigious project Naadu-Nedu to be implemented at the government schools has been stopped in the wake of coronavirus scare. The state government had launched the scheme to provide facilities in government schools for the students of primary, upper primary and high schools. The aim of the scheme is to provide facilities like furniture, electrical equipment, RO water purification plants, sufficient water for toilets and washrooms, compound walls, etc.,

This is the first year of implementation of this scheme and the government wants to provide facilities in 30 per cent of the schools. In a span of three years, the scheme would cover all the government schools across the state. The government was planning to complete these works during April and May. However, the lockdown to curtail the spread of Covid pandemic has stalled the project works in all schools in the district.

The lockdown has resulted in unavailability of workers and closure of all shops supplying necessary material like sand, cement and iron.

In Srikakulam district, the committees comprising headmasters of respective schools, mandal-level engineering officer and three members from parents' body had identified works worth Rs 260 crore to provide facilities at 1,238 schools. At mandal-level, the works were to be carried out under the supervision of mandal educational officer (MEO). And at the district-level, the district educational officer (DEO), the project officer (PO) for Samagra Shiksha Abhiyaan (SSA), the engineering officials of various departments were designated to coordinate the Naadu-Nedu works.

"In the wake of coronavirus lockdown we are unable to take up works as workers are not available and shops supplying necessary materials are closed," said headmasters of various schools in Ponduru, Laveru and Etcherla mandals. "We are asking the school-level committees to start works under Nadu-Nedu with available resources," said P Venkata Ramana, project officer of SSA.