CM Announces Sops For Women, Children, SC, ST

Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy has approved, sanctioned and announced five important sops for the welfare of weaker sections of the state on the successful completion of two years in office.

The Chief Minister announced "Rajiv Vidya Deewena" pre-metric scholarships for IX and X class students on saturation basis with Rs. 120 crores. The scheme will be implemented with the support of the Government of India.

For day-scholars Rs. 2250 (Rs. 150 for 10 months and a Rs. 750 book grant) and for hostellers - Rs. 4500 (Rs. 350 for 10 months and Rs. 1,000 for book grant) will be given. With this scheme, four lakh SC students will be benefitted to the tune of Rs. 90 crores, and 1.60 lakh ST students will be benefitted to the tune of Rs. 30 crores.

As assured by the Chief Minister in Sunnamvaarigudem of Khammam district during Indiramma Baata, to improve the education standards in Gurukulams and Andhra Pradesh Tribal Welfare Residential Society, 228 teacher posts were sanctioned.

The Chief Minister also announced "Indiramma Amrutha Hastham" with Rs.100 Crores for two lakh pregnant and lactating mothers. One cooked meal in high-risk 100 ICDS projects will be provided under this scheme. This will enable the reduction of infant and maternal mortality rate. He also sanctioned Rs. 50 crores for BCs i.e. Andhra Pradesh Geetha Parisramika Arthika Samkshema Samstha.

Kiran Kumar Reddy has also sanctioned separate Commissionerate for Minority Welfare with 69 posts including one post of Commissioner, seven posts of Deputy Directors, five posts of assistant directors, and fifty six other posts.

The Chief Minister approved 50 additional man-days under MGNREGS as assured earlier. During the year 6.7 lakh rural households completed 100 days. As many as 6.2 lakh rural households have completed 75-100 days. Approximately 12.9 lakh rural households will be completing 100 days by the end of March 2013.

State Government will provide an additional 50 days of wage employment to those households who have completed 100 days of work. This will benefit approximately 12.9 lakh households in the state. They will be able to earn upto Rs. 6,850 extra per household. This will create an additional income of Rs. 884 crores (12.9 lakh households at Rs. 6,850) to all these rural households.

Even those households which have already completed 100 days will be able to construct individual household latrines under Nirmal Bharath Abhiyan, thus clearing the way for completing 10 lakh individual household latrines during the year.

It will be possible to pay maintenance charges to the SC/ST/Small and marginal farmers who have taken up horticulture in more than 1.2 lakh acres during this year. (INN)