Ministers across AP launch Dokka Seethamma Mid-Day Meal Scheme for Junior college students

Vijayawada:The Andhra Pradesh government has rolled out the Dokka Seethamma Mid-Day Meal Scheme across the state to benefit junior government college students. Several ministers, including Dr. Dola Sribala Veeranjaneyaswamy, Gummidi Sandhya Rani, B. C. Janardhan Reddy and Kandula Durgesh, have been actively involved in launching the programme in various districts. The initiative aims to address student hunger, ensure nutritional meals, and improve educational outcomes for over 20,000 students in the state.

Dr. Dola Sribala Veeranjaneyaswamy, the state social welfare minister, inaugurated the scheme at Visakhapatnam Government Junior Women’s College. He shared a meal with students and proudly announced that the programme would benefit more than 4,900 individuals in Visakhapatnam district. Emphasising the government's commitment to educational welfare, the minister highlighted the importance of cooperation among teachers, students, and families in ensuring academic success. He expressed hope that this initiative would help achieve a 100% pass rate and called for the creation of a drug-free environment within schools, adding that the government had allocated ₹100 crore for de-addiction centres to help individuals overcome harmful habits.

In another launch event at Saluru Government Junior College, Gummidi Sandhya Rani, the minister for women and child welfare and tribal welfare, underscored the state’s commitment to providing quality education. She noted that the scheme would benefit 5,905 children in government junior colleges in the district, with 148,419 students across 475 colleges statewide included. The minister also mentioned the ongoing collaborations with IIT Madras to conduct Zoom classes, aimed at enhancing students' academic performance. Furthermore, she announced the upcoming establishment of a junior college for girls in Saluru by the next academic year.

Meanwhile, B. C.Janardhan Reddy, minister for roads, buildings, and investments, launched the scheme at Kovelakuntla Government Junior College. He thanked minister Nara Lokesh and chief minister Nara Chandrababu Naidu for reviving the programme after it was discontinued by the previous government. Janardhan Reddy personally served meals to students and interacted with them, stressing that, despite financial challenges, the government has resumed the scheme across 475 colleges for intermediate students. He also criticised the previous administration for its detrimental impact on the state’s welfare and encouraged students to focus on academics, noting that both sincerity and hard work lead to a successful future.

Tourism minister Kandula Durgesh, along with East Godavari district collector P. Prasanthi, inaugurated the Mid-Day Meal programme at Modern Roof Government Junior College (Girls) in Nidadavole. Durgesh outlined the government's commitment to improving education, focusing on employability and skills development. He announced reforms, including standardising marks and introducing a digital education system under Samkalpa-2025. Prasanthi revealed plans for uniform unit tests, syllabus updates, and additional tuition for BC students. The programme aims to ensure students' access to education and nourishment, enhancing their academic success.

The Dokka Seethamma Mid-Day Meal Scheme aims to combat student hunger and improve education standards, with the goal of providing all junior government college students across the state with nutritious meals to support their academic journey.