ONGOLE: Asserting that he is ready to walk many extra miles for the empowerment of women, chief minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy on Thursday said the state government will take all measures for their sustainable development.
The CM, who released the second tranche of financial assistance to women self-help groups under YSR Asara at a public meeting at PVR high school grounds in Ongole, said his government set a record by reserving over 60% of all elected and nominated posts for women. “We are only lessening the debt owed to you for your love and affection,” Jagan said, amidst applause and slogan shouting.
He said Asara celebrations will be held in all districts except Kadapa from October 7 to 18, taking each mandal as a single unit. The scheme will be implemented in Kadapa district from November 6 to 15 after the Badvel by-election.
“This government has already spent Rs 12,759 crore towards YSR Asara in the last 28 months. The previous government betrayed SHG women by not keeping its promise of waiving off loans.
Several lakhs of self-help groups slipped into debt trap as they could not clear the loans just because they believed N Chandrababu Naidu’s words,” said Jagan, adding that the loans piled up due to the accumulated interest took the original dues of Rs 14,204 crore to Rs 25,517 crore.
Nearly 20% of self-help groups were notified as non-performing assets (NPA), while many groups performing well and in A grade were downgraded to C and D due to non-payment of loans, he said.
“In addition to his failure to clear the debts, Naidu also ditched the women by stopping the zero interest loan scheme from October 2016. I saw your ordeals during my padayatra and decided to clear the dues in four spells,” said Jagan, further stating that the government has not only started implementation of Asara but has also renewed zero interest loan schemes benefiting nearly one crore women.
The chief minister said just around 0.73% of SHGs are notified as NPAs now and those with C and D grades have bounced back to A position, registering a recovery rate of 99.5%.
“Around one crore women of 9.41 lakh SHGs benefited through zero interest loans as the government credited Rs 2,362 crore. About 44.50 lakh women and 85 lakh children have received Rs 13,023 crore through Amma Vodi. About 61 lakh people are receiving pensions in the state, which only 39 lakh during the TDP rule,” the CM said.
He also sanctioned Rs 400 crore for a drinking water project in Ongole and announced that water will be drawn from the first tunnel of Veligonda project by August 2022 and the second tunnel will be ready by February 2023.
The women beneficiaries of self-help groups showered praises on the chief minister “for keeping every promise” made before the general elections and said they wanted him to continue as chief minister for “several generations to come”.
“The CM is implementing welfare schemes irrespective of caste and creed,” said Swathi, from Pakala village in Singarayakonda mandal of Prakasam district. She said she got Rs 24,000 through Asara scheme in the last two years at a time when her family was struggling to make both ends meet.
