AP has allocatted ₹9225.28 crore for development of SCs: Merugu Nagarjuna

Vijayawada: Andhra Pradesh government has allocated this year ₹9,225.28 crore for improving the lot of scheduled caste people in the state. “The allocation is an example of what Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy-led YSR Congress government has committed for SC community alone,” AP’s social welfare minister Merugu Nagarjuna declared at the two-day regional conference of nine states and union territories, which is being organised by union ministry for social justice and empowerment at Mysuru from Wednesday.

Providing details, Nagarjuna explained that as part of the SC sub-plan, ₹49,710.17 crore have already been spent from June 2019 (when Chief Minister Jagan Mohan Reddy assumed power) to December 2022. ₹7,950.33 crore have been given to 11.82 lakh SC pensioners through YSR pension kanuka, which is part of Navaratnalu. ₹2,715.35 crore have gone to 26.56 lakh mothers through Amma Vodi, ₹2,567.63 crore to 33.50 lakh beneficiaries through YSR Asara, ₹3,356.41 crore to 17.89 lakh under YSR Cheyutha and ₹243.72 crore to 2.44 lakh people under YSR Vahana Mitra.

Reeling out statistics further, the minister underlined that ₹7.95 crore have been distributed to 3.39 lakh people under Jagananna Todu, ₹43.98 crore to 48,000 persons under Jagananna Chedodu, ₹5.81 crore to 2,437 people under YSR Netanna Nestham, ₹3.28 crore to 3,283 people under Matsyakara Bharosa, ₹668.995 crore to 3.89 lakh students under Jagananna Vasati Deevena and ₹1,755.35 crore to 4.44 lakh students under Jagananna Vidya Deevena.

Nagarjuna mentioned that during 2023–24, ₹21.55 crore will be given to 60 SC students under Jagananna Videshi Vidya Deevena and ₹211.63 crore under YSR Kalyanamastu. He maintained that further, through non-DBT schemes, 56.32 lakh beneficiaries have been provided ₹28,958.30 crore under YSR Aarogyasri, Jagananna Gorumudda, Jagananna Todu, YSR Sampurna Poshana, YSR Vidya Kanuka, Jagananna Illu and YSR Kanti Velugu, among others.

On education, the minister told his counterparts of other states and union territories that special schemes are being implemented to educate SC communities. Gurukuls, NEET and JEE coaching centres, apart from sports schools are being set up.

“A 125-feet tall statue of BR Ambedkar is being installed in Vijayawada at a cost of ₹268.46 crore,” he emphasised.

Ministers and officials from the states of Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Telangana, and Odisha, apart from those of Puducherry, Lakshadweep and Andaman & Nicobar Islands are participating in the regional conference.