Mentally ill to get hassle-free aid in AP

VIJAYAWADA: Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy has directed officials to consider temporary certificates issued by psychiatrists to mentally retarded people for provision of pension and update the list of beneficiaries by every July and December.

Holding a review meeting with the Women Development and Child Welfare Department officials on Monday, he instructed them to upgrade the Bhavitha centres in all the Assembly constituencies and provide necessary services to the physically challenged at village and ward secretariats. Special emphasis should be laid on developing facilities in juvenile homes. An IAS officer should be appointed to monitor the functioning of juvenile homes.

The Kalyanamastu scheme introduced by the government is set to help in preventing child marriages as there is a provision that the prospective bride and bridegroom should have a minimum 10th class qualification to avail the benefit, he felt.

During a discussion on provision of nutritious food to Anganwadi children, the Chief Minister said the officials should focus on quality. After discussing the purchase and distribution of food, it was decided to do it through Markfed on a pilot basis with a strict vigil of a third party to ensure quality and transparency. Only Sortex rice should be used for mid-day meal in Anganwadis. Emphasis should be laid on achieving Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The phone number to lodge complaints against poor services should be displayed at all Anganwadi centres, he said.

Jagan underlined the need for setting up a special fund on the lines of School Maintenance Fund to run Anganwadis on sound lines. The curriculum for Pre-primary 1 and Pre-primary 2 children of Anganwadis should be strictly implemented. Bilingual textbooks should be provided to Anganwadi children, he said.
The officials informed Jagan that the Anganwadi supervisor posts will be filled up by September 30. The entire process will be done in a transparent manner, they said.

Women Development and Child Welfare Minister KV Ushasri Charan, Special Chief Secretary B Rajasekhar, Principal Secretary (Women and Child Welfare) AR Anuradha, Markfed Commissioner PS Pradyumna, Women Development and Child Welfare Director A Siri attended the meet.