Aim to promote personal hygiene, healthy habits, discipline

Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu on Saturday assured students that the State government would take full responsibility for shaping their future and announced the state-wide rollout of the ‘Mustabu’ programme aimed at promoting personal hygiene, healthy habits, discipline and self-confidence among schoolchildren.

The Chief Minister formally launched the initiative at the Social Welfare Residential School in Tallapalem village of Anakapalli district. Interacting with girl students, he personally reviewed the hygiene practices being followed under the programme and explained the importance of cleanliness in daily life. He announced that ‘Mustabu’ would be implemented every Saturday in all government and private schools, including residential institutions, across Andhra Pradesh.

Naidu said the programme, conceived with the initiative of the Parvathipuram Manyam District Collector, had earlier been implemented on a pilot basis and yielded encouraging results. “Small ideas can often pave the way for large-scale development. ‘Mustabu’ is one such initiative that can bring behavioural change among students without any additional financial burden,” he said.

The Chief Minister emphasised that good personal hygiene, neat uniforms, regular habits such as washing hands before meals and maintaining cleanliness would help students stay healthy and focused. He noted that nearly 75 lakh students are studying up to Intermediate level in government and private schools across the State and said the programme would help instil leadership qualities and discipline among them.

Reiterating the government’s commitment to education, Naidu said students are the State’s most valuable asset and must become part of the emerging knowledge economy. He highlighted that textbooks, uniforms and meals are being provided free of cost and financial assistance is being extended under the ‘Talliki Vandanam’ initiative. He also announced that health check-ups would soon be conducted for all 75 lakh students statewide, alongside the provision of nutritious food.

During his visit, the Chief Minister also walked through Tallapalem village along with sanitation workers, reviewed cleanliness works and commended their contribution. He later inspected the ‘Mustabu Corner’ set up in the residential school.

The Chief Minister credited Education Minister Nara Lokesh for introducing innovative reforms in the education sector and said coordinated efforts by all departments were focused on ensuring a “golden future” for students. “Some ideas bring revolutionary change. ‘Mustabu’ is one such programme, and that is why we have decided to implement it across the State,” he said.