VIJAYAWADA: The state government on Thursday released Rs 510 crore for 2.72 lakh beneficiaries under the YSR Cheyutha scheme. The money was released by ministers Peddireddy Ramachandra Reddy and Botsa Satyanarayana. This covers those people who did not get the money in the first phase of the scheme.
Speaking on the occasion, panchayat raj minister Peddireddy Ramachandra Reddy said Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy has redefined welfare and empowerment of women with the implementation of various welfare schemes.
He said previous governments had provided welfare initiatives only for the women in the age group of 25-45 years or pension support to elderly women but never considered supporting the middle-aged women.
He claimed that it was Chief Minister Jagan Mohan Reddy, who first identified the lapse and brought in YSR Cheyutha scheme providing financial assistance to women between 45-60 years belonging to SC, ST, BC and minorities.
The minister explained that, in the first phase of Cheyutha, the state government had released a financial assistance worth Rs 18,750 each to 21,00,189 beneficiaries, which comes to a total of Rs 3,937.90 crore.
Municipal administration minister Botsa Satyanarayana said the government has also taken the responsibility to empower women and turn them into entrepreneurs by encouraging them to start small-scale businesses. He mentioned the state government had entered into agreements with companies like ITC, Amul, Reliance, and Procter & Gamble and coordinated with banks for granting loans to give a helping hand to women entrepreneurs. He urged the women to use the money for economic empowerment.
Satyanarayana alleged that the TD government had never tried to fulfil its poll promises and did not work for the development of suppressed sections and had deceived women also.
