Families Migrated Before We Made That Promise: Minister Nara Lokesh in Assembly

Minister Nara Lokesh stated in the Assembly that he had personally witnessed families migrating in large numbers during the Yuvagalam padayatra in Alur and Adoni. Based on these observations, he promised to complete irrigation and lift irrigation projects to ensure drinking and agricultural water supply. Lokesh mentioned that he had even seen 200 people traveling on a single vehicle during the migration. He assured that the NDA government would fulfill its commitment to providing water as promised.

Addressing the Assembly, Lokesh recounted his experiences in Nandyal and Kurnool during the padayatra, noting significant differences between the two regions. He emphasized that providing drinking and irrigation water to remote areas of Kurnool district was a key priority. He also revealed that he had discussed this matter twice with Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan.

Lokesh acknowledged that Kurnool lags in Gross Enrollment Ratio (GER) and literacy rates, calling it an undeniable fact. He announced that more teachers would be recruited in the upcoming DSC (District Selection Committee) recruitment to address this issue. He also mentioned that the central government had made APAAR ID mandatory for students. To track students from kindergarten to postgraduate levels, a control room would be established, supported by necessary IT infrastructure, to ensure that no student drops out of school.

Regarding seasonal hostels, Lokesh clarified that their current function is limited to providing meals. He mentioned that the government was considering allowing admissions for migrant children in areas where their families relocate. He asserted that effective monitoring of hostels and student tracking would help reduce dropout rates. In 2024-25, there will be 121 seasonal hostels across the state, accommodating 6,040 students with meal facilities at an expenditure of ₹6.04 crore. However, he admitted that seasonal hostel management had not been systematic so far.

Lokesh criticized the previous government, claiming it had failed to address the issue of child migration. He reiterated that the government’s primary goal was to provide quality education. He proposed a discussion with legislators after the Assembly session to improve the functioning of seasonal hostels. He also called for collective efforts over the next three years to improve hostel operations, school enrollment ratios, and student-teacher ratios.

The minister announced plans to merge BC and SC hostels to enhance the efficiency of seasonal hostels. He assured that significant changes would be implemented in hostel management over the next three years. Lokesh also noted that multiple articles had been published about seasonal hostels in various media outlets, and he affirmed that the government was taking them seriously. He concluded by stating that noticeable improvements in seasonal hostel operations would be evident within the next two to three months.