8 lakh units being grounded in 2nd phase

Nellore/Tirupati: Ministers P. Narayana and Somireddy Chandramohan Reddy said they distributed modern tools worth Rs 62.74 crore to 3,731 beneficiaries belonging to backward classes, SC, ST, MBC, EBC, Brahmin, Christian communities and minorities in Nellore district.

Addressing a programme held to distribute the tools in Nellore, the ministers said 8 lakh units are being grounded under the second phase of Aadarana scheme in the state.

Mr Chandramohan Reddy said subsidy on the loans has been increased by an additional 4 per cent from the previous 25 per cent. He said they have sanctioned '4.75 crore to build Ambedkar Bhavan in 200 ankanams near Haritha Hotel in Nellore.

Funds have been sanctioned to build Ambedkar Bhavan at Gudur and Sullurpeta too, the minister said. He added that '4 crore was allocated for Shadi Manzil in Nellore.

Similar programmes were held to distribute tools to beneficiaries of various corporations in Chittoor district, including Tirupati, Madanapalle, Chittoor town and Kuppam on Monday.

Assets worth '98.20 crore were distributed to 9,679 beneficiaries under various schemes.

Chittoor district collector P.S. Pradyumna said  a large number of beneficiaries were given tools under the poverty elimination programme.  “Earlier, there was a confusion over the economic support scheme and this resulted in delay in the distribution of subsidies and grounding of schemes. Now, with major changes being made in the scheme, subsidies will be given in the same year as loans,” he said.

For 2016-17, grounding the scheme has been completed and for 2017-18, 90 per cent of the beneficiaries were given loans and assets.

“For 2018-19, we have set a target to distribute the loans by 2019 and of the 9,000 beneficiaries, who paid DDs, 1,600 were given 90 per cent subsidy”, he added.

The SC, ST, BC, Kapu, minority corporations were given a cheque of '20.22 crore to be distributed among 1,105 beneficiaries in Chittoor district.  

In Tirupati, MCT commissioner V. Vijayarama Raju distributed loans of '40.57 crore and assets were distributed to 1,452 beneficiaries.