AP’s Thalliki Vandanam Second Phase to Benefit 3.29 Lakh More Students

The Andhra Pradesh government has approved administrative permissions to extend the second phase of the Thalliki Vandanam scheme to an additional 3,29,201 beneficiaries. The number is 58,601 higher than the government’s initial estimate, resulting in an additional financial burden of ₹87.9 crore. The School Education Department issued orders on Saturday to implement the scheme in line with the revised beneficiary count. With the increase, the total number of beneficiaries for the current academic year has risen from 67,47,190 to 68,05,791, while the overall expenditure has increased from ₹10,120.78 crore to ₹10,208.69 crore.

The government is expected to release the funds to the second-phase beneficiaries soon, with payments targeted before Dasara. Under the first phase, 64,76,590 beneficiaries received assistance, excluding students who were required to join Class 1 or the first year of Intermediate, as well as those whose records were incomplete or incorrect. Although the second-phase payment was scheduled for August 30, the release was delayed due to certain reasons. The latest administrative approval clears the way for the expanded beneficiary list to be covered under the scheme.