While the much-hyped Amma two-wheeler scheme for working women is to be launched in Chennai on Saturday by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, to mark the 70th birth anniversary of late Chief Minister Jayalalithaa, the distribution of the vehicles at subsidised cost in Coimbatore will be delayed by a fortnight, sources here said.
The reason being cited is that since the Prime Minister would return only on Sunday evening, the ministers have to camp at Chennai. As a result, the launch of the scheme in other districts might take place in the first week of March.
However, the distribution in Coimbatore will take at least two more weeks, the sources said. Field verification of the credentials submitted by the beneficiaries along with their applications would be completed in a week's time.
As on Thursday, verification of the credentials of over 3,000 applicants, out of the total number of 22,912 who have applied, was pending, the sources said.
The number of applications received from the rural panchayats through the Panchayat Union Offices was 6,182, from three municipalities - 959, Town Panchayats - 8,588 and from the Coimbatore Corporation – 10,183.
The government has allocated 4,949 two-wheelers (1203 for rural areas and 3746 for urban areas) for the first phase of distribution in the district.
Out of the total number of eligible applicants, 22 % would be reserved for Scheduled Castes, 1 % for Scheduled Tribes and 4 % for differently-abled, the sources said.
