AP govt credits Rs.137 cr to leftover beneficiaries

Vijayawada: Andhra Pradesh government on Tuesday credited Rs 137 crore into the accounts of 3,39,096 beneficiaries who were left out from receiving the benefits of welfare schemes and provided fresh pension, Arogyasri, and ration cards to 3.10 lakh families.

Speaking on the occasion, Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy said that the State government is committed to the welfare of the poor unlike during the erstwhile Telugu Desam Party rule during 2014-19, when people used to wait and run from pillar to post to avail welfare schemes.

He said that the government launched this initiative to provide welfare schemes for those who are eligible and have not availed the benefits, twice every year. The intention is to extend the welfare schemes to every eligible person in the State, he said, adding that the situation has changed since the inception of the YSRCP Government, and the benefits of the schemes are being delivered right at the doorstep of the beneficiaries.

The Chief Minister said that 2,99,085 new beneficiaries were added to YSR Pension Kanuka, while 7,051 are getting Ration Cards and 3,035 are being provided with Arogyasri Cards. With the fresh issue of cards, an additional expenditure of Rs 935 crore shall be borne by the State government, he said adding that the government is implementing every scheme with utmost responsibility in a transparent way without any discrimination.

Drawing comparison with the previous TDP regime, the Chief Minister stated that the previous government had tried to minimise the number of beneficiaries by providing welfare schemes only to a select few people through 'Janmabhoomi Committees' and did its best to exclude as many people as possible.

Terming his government as the people's government, he said that only eligibility is being taken as the criteria and extending the benefits in a transparent way irrespective of the caste, religion, or political affiliation of the beneficiary duly following the welfare calendar. He urged people to notice the difference between the two governments.

Reddy stated that his government could confidently go to each beneficiary's house under 'Gadapa Gadapaki Mana Prabhuthvam' programme because of the good governance that has been provided in the last three years and said that those in the government should have commitment, credibility, and character to bring revolutionary changes in the governance.