27/08/2022

1. Educational reforms in Andhra Pradesh

Context:
Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh has claimed that Andhra Pradesh has initiated path-
breaking reforms in the education sector by rewriting the curriculum and introducing job-
oriented courses, thus making the students job-ready.
Background:
Major educational schemes in AP:
English, as a medium of instruction, was introduced from the primary level itself. Welfare
schemes such as Amma Vodi, Vidya Deevena, Vasathi Deevena, Nadu-Nedu, and Vidya
Kanuka were introduced to motivate the mothers to send their children to the school.

JaganannaAmmavodi
To ensure that poverty of the parents does not come in the way of educating their children,
the Government of Andhra Pradesh has launched a unique and innovative scheme
“JaganannaAmmavodi”. Under the scheme, government is providing financial assistance of
Rs. 15,000/- per annum to each mother or recognized guardian from Below Poverty Line
(BPL) families who are sending their children to schools or colleges from Class I to XII
(Intermediate Education) in all government and Private recognized management schools /
colleges in the State.
Jaganna Vidya Kanuka (Supply of Student Kits)
This scheme is aimed to minimize the dropouts and to improve Gross Enrolment Ratio and
also the students' participation in the learning activity and thereby improve the learning
outcomes of the children. Under “Jagananna Vidya Kanuka” scheme for the Academic Year
2021-22, the Government of A.P have supplied Students Kits consisting of three (3) pairs of
uniforms, set of notebooks, text books, a pair of shoes and two (2) pairs Mana Badi Nadu
Nedu (MBNN) socks, a belt, school bag and a dictionary to all the students studying from
Classes I to X in all the Government/MPP/Municipal/ Residential Schools of E d u c a t i o n
& We l f a r e D e p a r t m e n t s / A s h r a m Schools/Aided Schools/ Model Schools/
KGBVs/ Registered Madarasas in the State.
Mana Badi – Nadu Nedu
The Government of Andhra Pradesh considers the school as a divine place and wants to
promote the school as a true learning centre to the children and introduced 'Mana Badi –
Nadu Nedu' program to take up the following infrastructure facilities in the schools on
mission mode: (i) Toilets with running water (ii) Drinking water supply (iii) Major and minor
repairs (iv) Electrification with fans and tube lights (v) Furniture for students and staff (vi)
Green chalk boards (vii) Painting (viii) English laband (ix) Compound wall & (x) Kitchen
sheds.
Jagananna Vidya Deevena
 The objective of Jagananna Vidya Deevena (RTF) is to provide reimbursement of tuition fee
to eligible ST students. 47,322 ST students will be benefitted with an amount of
Rs.92.88Crores during 2021-22.
Jagananna Vasathi Deevena
The objective of Jagananna Vasathi Deevena (MTF) Schemes is to provide Rs. 10,000/- per
ITI Student, Rs. 15,000/- per Polytechnic student, Rs. 20,000/- for other Degree and above
course per year to every eligible student for food and hostel expenses. (34,872) ST Students
will be benefited with an amount of Rs.73.38Crs during 2021- 22.
Bio-metric Attendance
The e-Hazar Project (Aadhaar enabled Bio-Metric Attendance System (AEBAS)) is being
implemented in a phased manner in all High Schools, Upper Primary Schools, Teacher
Training Institutes and all School Education administrative offices, Teacher Training
Institutes and all School Education administrative offices.

2. Plastic flexies are banned in Andhra Pradesh

Context:
Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy announced that plastic flexies were being banned in
Andhra Pradesh from August 26.
Background:
Plastic pollution is caused by the accumulation of plastic waste in the environment. It can be
categorized in primary plastics, such as cigarette butts and bottle caps, or secondary plastics,
resulting from the degradation of the primary ones
According to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), India generates close to 26,000
tonnes of plastic a day and over 10,000 tonnes a day of plastic waste remains uncollected.
India launched a nationwide awareness campaign on Single Use Plastics on World
Environment Day in June 2022.
Plastic pollution and management in Andhra Pradesh
The estimated plastic waste generation in the State is approximately 66314 T/A. Carry bag
thickness criteria has implemented. There are 80 plastic manufacturing units, 6 Recycling
units and no unregistered units in the State. Partial ban on use of plastic carry bags
irrespective of thickness in Bobbili, Tadipatri, Tirupati & Vijayawada Municipalities. The
collected plastic waste has been segregated and disposed off by plastic waste recyclers and
non-recyclable waste sent to Co-processing in cement kilns & partly for Road construction.
Further, 172 tons of plastic bags were seized and Rs. 83.88 Lakhs of fine was collected from
defaulters. Annual Reports furnished by all ULBs & Census Towns.
Steps to manage plastic pollution by AP government
• 100% door to door collection is being practiced in 94 ULBs and partially in 16 ULBs.
• 100% segregated waste collection is being practiced in 25 ULBs and partially in 85 ULBs.
• The plastic waste is being collected at Material Recovery Facilities in 57 ULBs.
• 3440 Nos of plastic waste pickers authorized in 79 ULBs.
• 647 Nos of plastic waste collection centres established in 79 ULBs.
Implementation of Plastic Waste Management Rules, 2016:
• 50 ULBs seized shops, who are selling less than 50 microns thickness plastic carry bags.
• All 110 ULBs prohibited the sale of carry bags less than 50 microns completely.
• 5 ULBs implemented the ban on carry bags.

3. Mega beach cleaning drive was conducted by Andhra Pradesh government in

Vishakhapatnam
Context:
About 76 tonnes of wastes, including plastic, were cleared during a “Mega Beach Clean-up”
drive conducted by the State government in association with U.S.-based “Parley for the
Oceans” and Greater Visakhapatnam Municipal Corporation (GVMC) in Visakhapatnam, on
26th August.
The State government has entered the “Wonder Book of Records” by organising the biggest
clean-up drive ever.

Background

Beach pollution and cleaning

The NCCR conducted a qualitative analysis of the litter on six different beaches on the
eastern and western coasts. The study notes that beach pollution is on rise in the country.

 Tourism and fishing are the biggest culprits, contributing most of the plastic
litter on beaches.
 The study found that plastic litter from tourism alone accounted for 40%-96%
of all beach litter.
 At Chennai’s Elliot’s Beach, for instance, plastics left by tourists accounted for
40% of all the litter, while at Gopalpur in Odisha, it was as high as 96%. As for
the other four beaches, plastics formed 66% of the overall litter on Fort Kochi
Beach, 60% at Karnataka’s Karwar beach, 87% at Visakhapatnam’s R.K.
Beach, and 81% at Andaman Island’s Rangachang beach.
 After tourism, fishing was the next biggest source of litter. While fishing nets
were a major contributor, the processing of fish on the beach also produced a
lot of litter.
 Also, the proportion of biomedical litter was high in urban areas, such as
Elliot’s Beach and Fort Kochi Beach.
 Other than the plastic litter dropped by tourists, similar waste from creeks and
inlets made its way into the sea in the monsoon.
 Most of the litter consisted of plastic bottles, cutlery, and thermocol.
clean-up drive significance
The clean-up drive is significant, because even one cigarette butt floating for one hour in
ocean can pollute eight litres of water. Cleaning it up removes toxins from seafood and the
water. Most of the coastal regions is dependent on tourism sector and fisheries sector. Thus,
beach clean-ups are necessary for their livelihood and encourage local economy.

4. Man animal conflict in Vizianagaram

Context:
A tiger has killed cow at Palteru village in the Bobbili-Badangi forest range.
Background:
Man Animal conflict: It refers to struggles that arise when the presence or behavior
of wildlife poses actual or perceived direct, recurring threats to human interests or needs,
often leading to disagreements between groups of people and negative impacts on people
and/or wildlife.
Causes:
 Habitat loss
 Growth of the population of wild animals
 Changing cropping patterns that attract wild animals to farmlands
 Movement of wild animals from forests area to human-dominated landscapes for food
and fodder
 Movement of human beings to forests for illegal collection of forest produce
 Habitat degradation due to the growth of invasive alien species, etc.
Impacts:
 Loss of life
 Injury to both animal and human
 Damage of crops and agriculture land
 Rise in violence against animals
Actions needed:
 The most widespread methods for lessening human-wildlife conflict come in the form
of mitigation, or finding ways to keep wildlife out of areas with high human
population or agricultural density.
 There is a need for education and awareness among the masses so that they are
sensitized about the human-animal conflict, Then, mitigation will evolve away from
short-term symptom fixes towards long-term sustainable solutions to prevent conflict.
 Ensuring that humans and animals have adequate space to thrive is the basis of
human-wildlife conflict resolution.
 Protecting wild lands and natural habitats is key, but so is creating buffer zones
between wild and urban areas.
5. Differently-abled persons seek hike in pension
Context:
Members of the Vikalangula Hakkula Porata Samiti (VHPS) began a two-day relay hunger
strike on 26th August to press for a hike in pension to differently-abled persons.

Background:

Pensions for different categories under YSR Pension kanuka

Under the Scheme Government will provide pensions @ Rs.2250/- to the old age Pensions
(OAP), Widow, Weavers, Fisherman, Toddy Toppers, Single Women, AbhayaHastham,
Traditional cobblers, and PLHIV (Art pensions) categories, Rs. 3000/- to Disable Pension,
Rs. 10000/- to Dialysis (CKDU) and also reduced the age of old age pensioners (OAP) from
65 to 60 years to every eligible Beneficiary under YSR Pension Kanuka for the year 2020-21.
The Scheme is implemented and monitored by SERP. During the year 2021-22 an amount of
Rs.512.18 crores released to 245622 beneficiaries under this scheme.
Welfare of Disabled
As per the Census 2011, the total number of people with disabilities in the State of Andhra
Pradesh is 11.04 Lakhs. Pensions are sanctioned to 6.84 lakhs Differently Abled persons with
an amount of Rs. 205.07 and to 34.42 lakhs Senior Citizens with an amount of Rs. 860.41
crores through Panchayat Raj and Rural Development Department. Under Jagananna Vasathi
Deevena, Government provides differently abled students studying ITI and above classes and
sanctions food and hostel expenses to the students @ Rs 10,000/- to ITI, Rs 15,000/- to
Polytechnic and Rs. 20,000/- to Degree and above courses per annum as maintenance fee and
also provides reimbursement of Tuition fee under Jagananna Vidhya Deevena.