*HRD Minister Nara Lokesh has failed to provide basic facilities in welfare hostels: Talari Rangaiah*

Tadepalli, Aug 24: Former MP Dr Talari Rangaiah strongly criticised HRD Minister Nara Lokesh over the poor conditions in government schools and SC, ST and BC welfare hostels. He asked Lokesh to first provide water, safe toilets, proper food and basic facilities to students before making big claims about investments and companies coming to Andhra Pradesh.

Speaking at the YSRCP Central Office in Tadepalli, Rangaiah said nearly 100 students had reportedly died across the State in recent months, with many of them poor children aged between 8 and 13 years. He questioned why the government remained silent when children were losing their lives.

He cited the death of SC student Teja Harshavardhan at Setturu Mandal ZP High School after a wall collapsed when he went outside to relieve himself due to inadequate toilet facilities. Another student, Akshay, suffered a leg fracture. He also referred to a boy who died after falling into a farm pond at Rayalappadoddi.

Rangaiah said around 650 students at Kanekallu hostel were living without adequate water and challenged Lokesh to spend even four minutes near its toilets. He questioned why the government could not spend around Rs 1.5 lakh to provide a borewell.

He recalled that the previous YSRCP government spent Rs 7,245 crore on the Jagananna Gorumudda programme, while students were now allegedly being served poor-quality food. He also referred to the deaths of eight-year-old Rashmika and 12-year-old Kalpana at Basivalasa in Narasannapeta.

Rangaiah demanded a comprehensive review of the HRD Department. He sought Rs 1 crore compensation and a government job for the family of the deceased student, cases under the SC/ST Atrocities Act against those responsible, and said Nara Lokesh should step down if he cannot ensure basic safety and facilities for students.