As part of the Greater Visakhapatnam Municipal Corporation’s STEP-UP (Students Empowerment Programme – Upgradation Through Functional Literacy Programme), a special exposure visit was organised for students of the GVMC Municipal School, Murali Nagar, on Saturday to enhance their life skills through experiential learning.The students visited the Andhra Pradesh Pollution Control Board (APPCB) office and the Regional Transport Office (RTO) at Madhavadhara, where officials explained environmental protection, air and water pollution control, solid waste management, plastic pollution, transportation systems, road safety, driving licences and various public services.The students also visited the Murali Nagar branches of Bank of Baroda and State Bank of India, where they learnt about banking services, the importance of savings, operation of bank accounts, digital banking and online financial transactions.GVMC Commissioner Ketan Garg said experiential learning, combined with classroom education, plays an important role in the overall personality development of students. He said direct exposure to the functioning of government departments and public service institutions broadens students’ understanding while helping them develop a sense of civic responsibility.He urged the students to minimise the use of single-use plastics, adopt cloth bags in their daily lives, keep their surroundings clean and actively contribute to environmental conservation.As part of the ‘Plastic-Free Society – Environmental Protection’ campaign, the APPCB distributed cloth bags to the students through the Commissioner to promote eco-friendly practices. Published - July 04, 2026 07:16 pm IST