Scheme being implemented in a transparent manner
1.46lakhs Tailors, 98.5 thousand Dhobis and 41k barbers benefited
For 2nd consecutive year Ap CM completed his assurance
Amaravati, Feb 8: For the second consecutive year in a row, Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy has disbursed Rs 285.35 crore into the accounts of 2,85,350 beneficiaries who include tailors, barbers and dhobis having their own shops, each getting Rs 10,000 per annum.
Speaking on the occasion, the Chief Minister said that the government is providing financial assistance to tailors, barbers and dhobis who are in self-employed sector through Jagananna Chedodu scheme benefiting over 2.85 lakh people. Asserting that the scheme is being delivered in a transparent manner without resorting to any corruption, he said that in the last two years Rs 583.78 crore was credited to all the eligible beneficiaries under this scheme.
Elaborating the details, he said that Rs 146.10 crore is being credited into the accounts of 1,46,103 tailors with shops followed by Rs 98.44 crore to 98,439 dhobis and Rs 40.81 crore to 40,808 barbers. The funds provided by the government can be utilized for purchasing tools, equipment and other essentials to boost their business.
Taking a dig at the previous government, the Chief Minister stated that the previous government had diluted the fee reimbursement scheme that benefits poor students from backward class. He said that the current government had turned the BC’s from Backward Classes to Backbone Classes by empowering weaker sections socially, economically, and politically. Like no other State, Andhra Pradesh is the first to bring the BC Commission and has made laws in implementing 50 percent reservation for BC, SC, ST and Minorities and women in all nominated posts and contracts.
Standing by this, during the composition of the State cabinet, 60 percent posts were given to BC, SC, ST, and minority leaders, and two BC leaders to Rajya Sabha.
Further, the Chief Minister flayed left parties for carrying TDP’s agenda by supporting Chandrababu even though he is objecting houses for the poor in Amaravati citing demographic imbalance and currently instigating employees against the government. No one wants State government employees to go on strike, neither the people, nor the government, except those who were adamant in making Chandrababu as Chief Minister.
Vested interests
He said that the vested interests have been instigating teachers to go on strike, even during these testing times of Covid. He said that from the last two years all the students were being passed without any examinations and in this third year, it was sad to see teachers going on strike leaving students affecting their education.
Going into the details, he mentioned that there were only 3.97 lakh government employees until the 2019 elections, whereas after forming the government as many as 1,84,264 new jobs were created and over one lakh outsourcing employees have been receiving EPF and ESI benefits through APCOS. By regularizing RTC employees alone, the State government is bearing an additional burden of Rs 3600 crore every year and besides these, minimum timescale has been brought for the contract employees. The salary bill for 3.7 lakh government employees was only Rs 1198 crore till 2019, but now it has increased to Rs 3187 crore per annum.
Drawing comparison with the previous TDP government, Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy said that the pay of Anganwadi workers was only Rs 7000 back then and now it has increased to Rs 11500. The pay of Anganwadi mini workers was taken to Rs 7000 from Rs 4500, for Sanghamitra the salaries have been increased to Rs 10,000 from just Rs 3000. Similarly the pay of municipal sanitation workers has been increased to Rs 18,000 from Rs 12,000 and for Asha workers, the salaries were increased to Rs 10000 from Rs 3000. Also, the salaries of tribal welfare health workers, home guards, 108 ambulance drivers were also increased to a great extent.
BC Welfare Minister Srinivasa Venugopala Krishna, Tourism Minister Muthamsetti Srinivas, Chief Secretary Dr. Sameer Sharma, Village and Ward Secretariats Special CS Ajay Jain, Rajaka, Nai Brahmana and Tailor Corporations Chairmen and other dignitaries were present at the event.