CM Jagan disburses YSR Aasara, says return of YSRC in power is must for continuation of welfare schemes

ANANTAPUR: Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy has made it clear that the YSRC government never discriminated against any political party supporter in the grant of welfare scheme benefits all through the last nearly five years.

“We never allowed any irregularity in the implementation of welfare schemes. The previous TD government cheated women SHG groups in the name of waiver of loans, while the YSRC government implemented a scheme for reimbursement of these money in four installments,” the CM noted.

Marking another festive occasion of YSR Aasara Scheme, the CM released a fresh tranche of financial aid for women at Uravakonda in Anantapur district on Tuesday. He released Rs 6,394.83 crore towards the fourth and final tranche for waiving off the balance loans of 78,94,169 women from 7,98,395 self-help groups that owed a total ofRs 25, 571 crore to various banks in 2019.

In three tranches earlier, the YSRC government has repaid the self-help groups’ loans amounting to Rs 19,176 crore they had defaulted during the rule of the TD, which promised the loan waiver but did not implement it.

Addressing a huge public meeting after disbursing the YSR Aasara, the Chief Minister said he was happy to fulfil his 2019 election promise of repaying the bank loans of women’s self-help groups.

He cautioned the people that a vote for the Opposition would result in the beneficiaries losing the benefit of the present welfare schemes. He disbursed `6,394 crore as part of the fourth tranche of the YSR Aasara scheme.

"We have prioritised women empowerment. In the last 56 months, 79 lakh Dwcra sisters were given `25,571 crore for their loan repayment. We are ensuring that funds for welfare schemes go directly to the women, not men, in each house. If women are empowered, the state will progress across sectors," Jagan Mohan Reddy asserted.

With the government implementing the YSR Aasara, YSR Cheyuta and Sunna Vaddi (zero per cent interest) and other schemes, 91 per cent of the C and D grade self-help groups in the TD term have now transformed into A and B grade ratings, while their NPA (non-performing asset) value has come down to 0.17 per cent from 18.36 per cent.

The Chief Minister said that a whopping `2.50 lakh crore was spent on DBT welfare schemes for the uplift of weaker sections. The Chief Minister said he was only depending on the people and God, and the people have to take upon themselves the responsibility of defeating the TD and its allies in the coming elections.

Responding to a representation from incharge Y. Viswaeswar Reddy, the Chief Minister sanctioned funds for constructing a new distributor canal and 12 minor tanks to irrigate 75,000 acres and improve the drainage facility in the constituency, apart from establishing a girls’ college and a BC residential school in Uravakonda.

He also released funds for the R and R package for famers who have given land for the Jeedipalli reservoir.