P. Gannavaram (Andhra Pradesh), Aug 17 (IANS): Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy on Monday distributed Jagananna Vidya Kanuka kits to students for the second consecutive year as schools reopened and dedicated the first phase of Mana Badi Nadu - Nedu works to students.

"Schools are being reopened after a long break due to Covid, even organisations like ICMR and WHO suggested that schools should be reopened for the future of students," said Reddy.

He said all the schools will be functional strictly following Coronavirus protocol where the Covid positivity rate is less than 10 per cent.

The CM said that all the teachers have been vaccinated and were instructed to limit only 20 students per classroom.

Under Jagananna Vidya Kanuka scheme, the state government spent Rs 731 crore, doling out education kits to more than 47 lakh students.

"The kit comprises three pairs of uniform, bilingual textbooks, workbooks, notebooks, stationery and shoes. This year, an Oxford dictionary has been included and students up to class 5 will be receiving a dictionary with pictures," said an official.

In two years, Andhra Pradesh spent Rs 1,380 crore on vidya kanuka scheme.

Under the first phase of Nadu - Nedu scheme, 15,715 government schools were modernized with Rs 3,669 crore and in the second phase of Nadu - Nedu, 16,368 more educational institutions were renovated at a cost of Rs 4,535 crore.

The state government took up this project to renovate over 56,000 schools at an expenditure of Rs 16,000 crore.

"Under Nadu-Nedu, 10 changes were brought to the schools, refurbishing with new furniture, drinking water with Ph balance, clean toilets, colorful paints, compound walls, other minor repairs, green boards, fans, tube lights, English labs and kitchen sheds to prepare meals for the students," he said.