Guntur: Women to be appointed as VOAs from now on
Deputy Chief Minister and minister for panchayat raj and rural development Budi Mutyala Naidu reviews functioning of SERP at the Secretariat on Thursday
Velagapudi (Guntur district): Deputy Chief Minister and minister for panchayat raj and rural development Budi Mutyala Naidu announced here on Wednesday that village organisation assistant (VOA) posts would be given to only women and priority would be given to the local women hereafter by changing the relevant rules.
Addressing the officials during a review meeting on the functioning of Society for Eradication of Rural Poverty (SERP) at the Secretariat, the Deputy Chief Minister said that the VOAs play a key role in the development of women self-help groups.
He said that in the wake of formation of new districts, 26 district federations would be formed soon. Stating that women play an important role in the societal and economic empowerment, he recalled that so far loans worth Rs 30,000 crore are being distributed to the groups every year.
Mutyala Naidu said that during May, 99.2 per cent pensions were distributed, which is exemplary to other states. All eligible persons and those who were denied pensions on technical grounds would be given pensions.
He instructed the officials to conduct Sadaram camps every six months to decide the physical disability.
He said that the decision has been taken to prevent irregularities in loan distribution to give loans only through biometric system.
Referring to the Asara programme, he said that Rs 12,783 crore had been distributed to 78,75,539 women of 7,96,532 groups across the state.
He exhorted the officials to focus on the economic empowerment of women in all the SHGs by encouraging them to undertake some business activity. The SHGs should be helped in marketing their products by using the latest online marketing technology.
The officials should frequently visit the villages in the districts since the districts are small now.
Referring to the YSR Bima, the Deputy Chief Minister said that the remaining members of the SHGs should also be covered under the insurance scheme. He set the target of Rs 3,300 crore in the financial year of 2022-23 covering 6.5 lakh women.