AP school kit rollout hit by global supply disruptions, says Samagra Shiksha chief

Vijayawada: Distribution of the ‘Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan Vidyarthi Mitra’ kits for government school students in Andhra Pradesh is likely to be delayed by about a month due to global supply disruptions and rising raw material costs.Samagra Shiksha state project director B Srinivasa Rao said international war-like conditions, crude oil and gas shortages, and disruptions in transport networks have affected the supply chain for key materials used in manufacturing school kits.Officials said the crisis has led to a steep rise in prices of crude-based raw materials and shortages of fibre, impacting the production of uniforms, school bags, shoes and related items. Suppliers have sought additional time to complete deliveries. Despite the delay in some kit components, the state government said efforts are underway to ensure that textbooks and notebooks are supplied by June 12, when schools reopen after the summer break.Authorities are targeting distribution of the remaining kit items, including uniforms, shoes and bags, by the time of the proposed Mega Parent-Teacher Meeting (PTM).Rao said senior officials are closely monitoring the procurement and supply process, with field visits to manufacturing units and regular reviews being conducted with suppliers. Andhra Pradesh has also sought priority in material supply over pending orders from other states to speed up deliveries.