Monday, March 28, 2022

The education budget allocation has fallen since the bifurcation of Andhra Pradesh in 2014 (Table 1). This does not augur well for Andhra Pradesh, which has a literacy rate of 66.4% – lower than Bihar’s 70.9%, as per the National Sample Survey 2017-18. As per the 2021-22 socio-economic survey, the state’s literacy rate (67.35%) is also lower than the national average (72.98%). Moreover, the 2011 census pegged the state at the 31st position in literacy. 

https://thewire.in/education/andhra-pradesh-marginal-rise-education-budget

Monday, March 14, 2022

“By allocating less than 11% of the budget towards education from 2015-16 onwards, the government has diverted Rs 30,000 crore over the years to other areas. By allocating merely one-fourth of that amount, the government is patting itself on the back,” rues K. Venugopal, chief editor of the magazine of Telangana Progressive Teachers Federation (TPTF).

 https://thewire.in/education/telangana-education-gets-a-raw-deal-yet-again-in-the-state-budget

Monday, March 7, 2022

Though AP has fared better compared to others in allocation to healthcare, it has failed its doctors. The UGC pay scales were due to them from 2016.

But the doctors did not get this benefit until March 1, 2021, that too without being paid the arrears. This, doctors said, halved the pension of doctors who retired before this date as PRC was delayed and pension is paid based on basic pay.

https://www.downtoearth.org.in/news/health/how-effective-has-andhra-pradesh-s-aarogyasri-scheme-been-81839

Also appeared in HansIndia: 

https://www.thehansindia.com/hans/opinion/news-analysis/how-effective-has-aps-aarogyasri-scheme-been-732887