Vijayawada: Minister for Human Resources and IT Nara Lokesh on Friday gave an ultimatum to leaders of the YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) to prove their claim that he had arranged to collect Rs 2,000 illicitly from the Rs 15,000 being disbursed to mothers under the 'Talliki Vandanam' scheme. Lokesh demanded that the YSRCP must take down their defamatory tweet within 24 hours, failing which legal action would be launched against the party. He accused the YSRCP of a pattern of repeating false allegations to establish its unfounded charge.

In fact, Lokesh alleged, there were irregularities in the implementation of the 'Amma Vodi' scheme during the previous YSRCP government, including the furnishing of false accounts regarding student gross enrollment ratios. Addressing the media, the IT Minister highlighted that under the 'Talliki Vandanam’, a key promise under Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu's ‘Super Six’ programme, the state government has successfully credited Rs 8,745 crore to the accounts of mothers of 67.27 lakh students. This amount is being credited to mothers of students from Class 1 to Intermediate first year. In cases where a mother is absent, the amount will be credited to the father or guardian, and for orphanages, the District Collector will assume responsibility. Lokesh emphasised the establishment of a robust redressal mechanism, allowing citizens to report grievances regarding non-receipt of funds through the Mana Mitra app or at village and ward secretariats.

The minister provided a breakdown of the beneficiaries, stating that amounts for students from Class 4 to 10 were credited to 30 lakh BCs, 12 lakh SCs, 4.26 lakh STs, 66,000 minorities, and 8.5 lakh EBCs. He added that Rs 13,000 was credited to 18.55 lakh mothers with one child. For those with two children, Rs 26,000 was credited to 14.55 lakh mothers, covering 29.10 lakh students.

Additionally, funds were credited for 6.3 lakh students with three children.

Lokesh contrasted the foregoing figures with those of the previous YSRCP government’s ‘Amma Vodi’ scheme, which benefited only 42 lakh students, whereas the current NDA government had extended ‘Talliki Vandanam’ to 67.27 lakh students. He noted that while the YSRCP government spent Rs 5,540 crore, the NDA government was spending Rs 8,745 crore on ‘Talliki Vandanam,’ an additional Rs 3,205 crore, projecting an extra expenditure of Rs 16,000 crore over five years.

The minister further informed that he had reviewed the scheme’s implementation with the Finance Minister and found that 2 percent of mothers’ accounts were inactive, for which SMS notifications were being sent to prompt their activation.

Regarding school preparations, Lokesh stated that student kits, including books and bags, were distributed to 80 per cent of students on the first day of school reopening. He assured that mid-day meals would be served with fine rice. As part of ongoing reforms, the state government was focusing on a ‘one class, one teacher’ norm, which had been implemented in 9,600 schools. Additionally, government schools were receiving free power supply. The minister concluded by stating that the teacher transfer process would be completed by Monday.