Andhra CM releases Rs.6,419 crore for YSR Aasara

Denduluru (Eluru dist) Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy on Saturday said the State Government will continue to work for the education, social, economic and political empowerment of women.

He was speaking after releasing Rs.6,419.89 crore benefiting 78.94 lakh women under the third tranche of YSR Aasara besides laying foundation stones for several developmental activities virtually.

Distribution of Aasara funds to the beneficiaries across the State will continue for 10 days.

Reddy said the government has so far distributed Rs. 19,178 crore to self-help groups of women as part of the promise made to them in February 2019 during his padayatra.

The YSR Aasara is being implemented to help the women stand on their own following his assurance to write off their bank loans that stood at Rs.25,516 crore as on March 31, 2019.

The government distributed Rs.12,758.28 crore in the first two tranches of YSR Aasara towards the repayment of the bank loans of women’s self help groups.

Observing that the government has so far spent Rs.2,25,000 crore towards the welfare of women in the last 45 months through various welfare schemes like Amma Vodi, YSR Aasara, Cheyuta, Kapu Nestam, EBC Nestam, Vidya Deevena and Vasathi Deevena, he said that 9,86,616 women have so far been able to launch their own business units like provision stores, poultry farms, food processing units, vegetables shops, cloth stores and dairy farms with the financial assistance provided under the YSR Aasara.

While the government has entered into MoUs with the corporate companies like the L&T, Reliance, PG, ITC, Amul and Mahindra to guide the self-help groups of women in turning entrepreneurs, it has also made the banks to reduce the interest rate to 7 to 9% from the 13%, he said, adding it is negotiating with the banks to reduce it further.

Calling the overnment women-centric, the Chief Minister said that while the zero-interest scheme was discontinued by TDP rule, the YSRCP Government had to pay Rs.3,615 crore for reviving it.

After YSRCP came to power, banks advanced Rs.3,036 crore as zero-interest loans to the self-groups afresh.

He said that the government’s efforts to strive for the economic empowerment of the women are yielding expected results as the loan recovery from self-help groups has reached 99.55% now.

Women in the State have become role-model for the women’s groups in other states and other state Governments are observing the systems being adopted here.

Deputy Chief Minister (Panchayat Raj & Rural Development) B. Mutyala Naidu, Denduluru MLA K. Abbaiah Choudary and Eluru District Collector V. Prasanna Venkatesh were present.