Congress to Choose Beneficiaries for Welfare Schemes Through Public Meetings

Hyderabad: In a move towards implementing its Six Guarantees, the Congress government decided on Monday to hold grama sabhas (village meetings) or ward-level sabhas from December 28 to seek applications for availing of benefits under the guarantees.

Applications will be sought for new ration cards, pensions, Indiramma houses, Maha Lakshmi monetary benefit of Rs.2,500 per month to women and LPG cylinders for Rs.500 each.

The decision was taken during the TPCC’s political affairs committee (PAC) meeting, its first since forming the government, chaired by AICC Telangana affairs incharge Manikrao Thakre and attended by Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy and key ministers, legislators and leaders.

Within two days of taking oath of office on December 7, the Congress had enhanced the health insurance coverage under Rajiv Aarogyasri from Rs.5 lakh to Rs.10 lakh and started free travel for women in TSRTC buses under the Maha Lakshmi scheme, to implement two of the Six Guarantees.

There are two more components to the Maha Lakshmi scheme, which are Rs.2,500 monthly financial aid and subsidised LPG cylinders at Rs.500 each.

Besides fulfilling the Maha Lakshmi scheme in its entirety, the Congress is yet to launch Rythu Bharosa, Gruha Jyothi, Induramma Indlu and Yuva Vikasam schemes.

TPCC PAC convenor Mohd Ali Shabbir told mediapersons that beneficiaries for welfare schemes would be selected by conducting grama/ward sabhas across the state.

Applications will be accepted from the people in these sabhas, verification will be conducted and beneficiaries will be shortlisted by officials in these sabhas, in the presence of people, he said. “This will ensure transparency in the selection process and prevent irregularities in selection of beneficiaries,” Shabbir Ali said.