CAG indicts AP Govt on implementation of SSA

Hyderabad, Dec 24 (UNI) Indicting the Andhra Pradesh Government for inadquate planning and under-utilisation of funds allocated under the Centrally-sponsored Sarva Siksha Abhiyan, the Comptroller and Auditor General has opined that education for all by 2010 was a remote possibility.

The objective to have all children either in school or in an alternate school by 2003 had not been achieved even as of March 2005 and with the present pace of implementation the objective to ensure all children complete five years of primary schooling by 2007, eight years of schooling and universal retention by 2010 is a remote possibility, the report of the CAG tabled in the State Assembly in the winter session said.

The utilisation of funds under SSA in the first two years was only 37 and 36 per cent respectively, it said, noting that ''financial management was ineffective''.

As of March 2005, 2977 habitations did not have regular schools, of which 1925 habitations did not have any schooling facility, the report said, adding that there was a shortage of 6309 upper primary schools in the state and as many as 4.23 lakh children were out of schools.

The CAG said there was a shortage of 54,730 teachers in primary and upper primary schools and quality of education suffered due to deployment. About 25 per cent of civil works (1352 out of 5388) relating to construction of classrooms, toilets and provision of drinking water facilities, taken up during 2002-04 had not been completed as of August 2005 and unfruitful expenditure of 10.67 crore was incurred.

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