CM releases `6,419 cr to benefit `78.94 lakh women

Denduluru (Eluru dist): Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy released Rs 6,419.89 crore benefiting 78.94 lakh women under the third tranche of YSR Aasara besides laying foundation stones for several developmental activities virtually. Distribution of Aasara funds to the beneficiaries across the state will continue for 10 days. Releasing the amount with the click of a button here on Saturday, the Chief Minister reiterated that the government would continue to work for the education, social, economic and political empowerment of the women.

He said the government has so far distributed Rs 19,178 crore to self-help groups of women as per the promise made to them in February 2019 during his padayatra. The YSR Aasara is being implemented to help the women stand on their own following his assurance to write off their bank loans that stood at Rs. 25,516 crore as on March 31, 2019. The government distributed Rs 12,758.28crore in the first two tranches of YSR Aasara towards the repayment of the bank loans of women's self-help groups.

Stating that the government has so far spent Rs 2,25,000crores towards the welfare of women in the last 45 months through various welfare schemes like Amma Vodi, YSR Aasara, Cheyuta, Kapu Nestam, EBC Nestam, Vidya Deevena and Vasathi Deevena, he said that 9,86,616 women have so far been able to launch their own business units like provision stores, poultry farms, food processing units, vegetables shops, cloth stores and dairy farms with the financial assistance provided under the YSR Aasara.

While the government has entered into MoUs with the corporate companies like the L&T, Reliance, PG, ITC, Amul and Mahindra to guide the self-help groups of women in turning entrepreneurs, it has also made the banks to reduce the interest rate to 7 to 9 per cent from the 13 per cent, he said, adding it is negotiating with the banks to reduce it further.Terming his government women-centric, the Chief Minister said that while the zero-interest scheme was dissolved by TDP rule, the present government had to pay Rs 3,615 crore for reviving it. After YSRCP came to power, banks advanced Rs 3036crore as zero-interest loans to the self groups afresh.

He said that the government's efforts to strive for the economic empowerment of the women are yielding expected results as the loan recovery from self-help groups has reached 99.55 per cent now. Women in the state have become role-model for the women's groups in other states and other state governments are observing the systems being adopted here. "Ours is the only government in the country which enacted a law to allot 50 per cent of the nominated posts to women in trust boards of temples, corporations and ZPTCs," he observed, saying the government is giving utmost priority to the safety of women. Disha app has been downloaded by 1.17crore women and 26,000 women have so far benefited from it, he said.

The Chief Minister laid the foundation stones virtually for the Rs 68.85 crore lift irrigation-cum-drinking water project at Jagannadhapuram in Pedavegi mandal for supplying drinking water to 42 villages, for the Rs 18.33 crore worth check dam and double lane bridge at Balive village in Musunur mandal and for a Rs 2.78 crore 30-bedded PHC at Vijayarai village. Deputy Chief Minister (minister for panchayat raj and rural development) B Mutyala Naidu, Denduluru MLA K Abbaiah Chowdary and Eluru district collector V Prasanna Venkatesh also spoke.