Andhra CM kicks off Rs 620-cr free-tab scheme for 4.3 lakh schoolkids

Chintapalli (AP), Dec 21 (PTI) Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy on Thursday kicked off a Rs 620-crore programme, to distribute 4.3 lakh free tabs to school children over 10 days, at Chintapalli in Alluri Sitaramaraju district.

Equipped with preloaded education content, the tabs costing Rs 33,000 each will be distributed to class eight students in all government and aided schools.

"These tabs are instruments to shatter generations of poverty. It is one of the steps among many which will usher in a great change in the coming decade. These tabs are for the students to easily understand their lessons," said Reddy at a public meeting while laying emphasis on education.

Over the next 10 days, the CM said that MLAs will visit every mandal and participate in the tab distribution programme.

Taking on his political rivals, including N Chandrababu Naidu and some media houses, he said they are alleging that he was 'unnecessarily' wasting money on tabs and other welfare activities.

Reddy cautioned people to be wary of opposition leaders, alleging that they would soon come up with more devious tricks to cheat them with claims of doling out gold and luxury cars. He also called on people to support him if they thought that they benefited in his regime. PTI