Vijayawada: The Government is introducing PP1 and PP2 in Government school to provide quality education to the poor children, said Andhra Pradesh Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy. Y.S. Jagan on Monday launched two schemes YSR Sampoorna Poshana and YSR Sampoorna Poshana Plus at his camp office in Tadepalli, intended to provide nutritious food to pregnant women, lactating mothers and children.

He said that Anganwadis will be strengthened in the coming days to make them serve as Pre-Primary 1 and Pre-Primary 2 schools. This will lay a strong foundation for children when they come to the first standard where the medium of instruction will be English. “Poor people who cannot send their wards to pre-primary education will be benefitted with this initiative, which ensures quality education,” he said. The 55,607 Anganwadis in the State will hereafter impart bridge courses and prepare children to enter the school with basics, besides providing them nutritious food, Jagan said.

Jagan said a healthy body will have a healthy mind and malnutrition among the vulnerable sections will be brought down with the two schemes by providing them nutritious food with a good menu. About 30.16 lakh mothers and children will be benefited from the two schemes. Over 52.9 per cent of pregnant women across the State are suffering from acute anemia, while 31.9 per cent of children are having low birth weight and 31.4 per cent of children are suffering from stunted growth. To strengthen the future generations and to lower the malnutrition deaths, the State has introduced the two schemes, he said.

Under YSR Sampoorna Poshana Plus, nutritious food will be supplied exclusively in 77 tribal areas through 8,320 Anganwadis, and the remaining urban and rural areas lying in plains will be covered under YSR Sampoorna Poshana. As many as 30, 16,000 pregnant women, lactating mothers and children belonging to BPL families will be benefited from this initiative, where the government is spending `1,863 crore per annum. On the occasion, the CM launched YSR Sampoorna Poshana App, pocket book, SOP booklets.

Jagan criticizing the opponents of introduction of English medium education in government schools from Class I, the CM said it is a different form of untouchability. The people, who are opposing English medium education in government schools from primary level, are sending their kin to preparatory and kindergarten schools, he said.