Andhra govt to provide Rs 15,000 to upper-caste women under EBC Nestham scheme

VIJAYAWADA: From the financial year 2021-22, an assistance of Rs 15,000 per year will be extended to women in the age group of 45-60 from Economically Backward Classes (EBCs) belonging to upper castes such as Brahmin, Vysya, Velama, Kshatriya, Kamma, Reddy, and Muslims among others on the lines of Kapu Nestham and YSR Cheyutha. A decision to this effect was taken in the Cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy on Tuesday. The new scheme -- EBC Nestham -- has been allocated Rs 670 crore and for the next three years, beneficiaries will be provided Rs 15,000 as financial assistance per annum. It will be implemented in November and is expected to benefit 6 lakh women.

The Cabinet also approved the Welfare Programme Calendar for the financial year 2021-22 in which dates have been fixed for the implementation of 23 different welfare programmes. Briefing the media, Minister for Information and Public Relations Perni Venkataramaiah (Nani) said in April, Vasathi Deevena will be implemented, benefiting 15.56 lakh students. Jagananna Vidya Deevena (Total fee reimbursement) for 18.18 lakh student beneficiaries will be implemented in April, July, December and February 2022.  In April, interest free loan dues (Rabi 2019, Kharif 2020) will be provided to 66.11 lakh beneficiaries. In the same month, interest free loans for 90.37 lakh DWCRA women will also be provided. 

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In May, crop insurance premium for Kharif 2020 will be paid to 9.48 lakh farmers, financial assistance under Matsyakara Bharosa will be provided to 1.09 lakh fishermen families and diesel subsidy under Matsyakara Bharosa will be extended to 19,746 beneficiaries. In June, under Jagananna Vidya Kanuka, school kits will be provided to 42.34 lakh beneficiaries and financial assistance will be extended to 24.55 lakh beneficiaries under YSR Cheyutha. In July, under YSR Vahana Mitra, 2.74 lakh beneficiaries will be extended aid and 3.27 lakh beneficiaries will get financial assistance under Kapu Nestham. 

In August, interest free loans (Kharif 2021) will be provided to 25 lakh beneficiaries, industrial incentives to 9,800 MSMEs, spinning mills, compensation to 3.34 lakh AgriGold victims, financial aid to 81,703 handloom weavers under Nethanna Nestham. In September, YSR Aasara will benefit 87.74 lakh women, Jaganna Chedodu will be implemented in October along with Jagananna Thodu.  Amma Vodi scheme will be implemented in January 2022, benefiting 44.48 lakh women. 

The Cabinet also decided to allocate 2,700 vehicles for door-to-door garbage collection in municipalities. During the Cabinet meeting, the Chief Minister directed the authorities to beautify every municipality in the State within three to six months by replicating the best practices of Surat civic body.

Other Cabinet decisions

A look at two of the important ones

Plan to speed up probe into ACB cases

The Cabinet resolved to amend the laws to speed up the investigation of corruption cases. It has been proposed to reduce the time for probe into ACB cases against employees from two years to 100 days and ACB officials need to face action if they fail to complete the inquiry within the deadline.

Govt’s nod to raise Rs 3,000 cr by AMRDA

The Cabinet approved the proposal of extending government guarantee to raise H3,000 crore from banks by the AMRDA for the development of trunk (roads and allied) infrastructure and Land Pooling Scheme (LPS) layouts for farmers in Amaravati capital region.