Andhra government gives nod to 'YSR Asara' scheme aimed at women empowerment

Amaravati (Andhra Pradesh) [India], Aug 19 : The Jagan Mohan Reddy government in Andhra Pradesh on Wednesday gave its nod for 'YSR Asara' scheme aimed at women empowerment along with two other schemes YSR Sampoorna Poshana and Jagananna Vidya Kanuka.
Briefing the media here on Wednesday, after a cabinet meeting, Information and Public Relations Minister Perni Venkataramaiah said that YSR Asara Scheme, which is one among the YSR Congress party's poll promises Navaratnalu, is aimed at empowering women and improving their financial stability.
As many as 9,33,180 women groups with 90 lakh women will be benefited from a total expenditure of Rs 27,169 crore in the next four years by spending Rs 6792.21 crore in 2020-21. Under this scheme, the State government would waive off the loans of the DWCRA groups in four instalments.
"In addition to this, the state cabinet finalised the launching dates for two schemes YSR Sampoorna Poshana and Sampoorna Poshana plus on September 1, aimed at providing a complete nutritional diet to pregnant women, lactating mothers and children with a budget of Rs 1863 crore for the year 2020-21. Similarly, the YSR Vidya Kanuka scheme is set for launch on September 5, with an expenditure of Rs 648.09 crore in order to facilitate 43 lakh students with three pairs of uniforms, shoes, school bags, notebooks and textbooks," Venkataramaiah informed.
Chief Minister Jagan Mohan Reddy decided to provide quality rice at the doorstep of the cardholders. In this context, the cabinet approved to start this initiative across the State from December 1, for which the state government will be spending Rs 480 Crore for sortexed rice and Rs 296 Crore for door delivering the ration supplies. In regard to this, with a budget of Rs 550 Crore as many as 9,260 vehicles would be provided for the unemployed youth of BC, SC, ST and Minorities with 60 per cent subsidy to take up the deliveries.
Apart from this, the cabinet also approved YSR Bheema (life Insurance), which would be applicable for the 1.5 crore ration cardholders across the State, with a total budget of Rs 583.5 crore. The cabinet gave a green signal for key initiatives like the recruitment of 51 Divisional Development Officer posts in the Panchayati Raj Department, DPR by RITES company for phase-1 construction of Bhavanapadu port with Rs 3669.95 crore, state's new Industrial Development Policy 2020-23 and the amendment of AP Aquaculture Seed quality Control Act.
The AP cabinet gave in-principle approval for the establishment of an electronic manufacturing cluster in Kopparthi in YSR Kadapa district aiming to create employment for one lakh along with Rs 10,000 crore investment. In regard to this, the State government is going to spend Rs 730 crore for creating basic infrastructure. In addition to this, the cabinet approved the setting up of Bulk-drug Park in East Godavari district with an investment of Rs 6940 crore. On these lines, the cabinet gave a nod for establishing AP Bulk-drug Infrastructure Corporation.
The cabinet also approved to develop a hydropower generating unit in Visakhapatnam by establishing two units with a capacity of 115 MW each with a budget of Rs 510 crore. The cabinet gave approval for the establishment of police subdivision and traffic police station at Rayachoti and sanctioned 76 home guard posts of the YSR Kadapa district. Besides these, the cabinet discussed the agriculture and marketing issues, especially farm mechanization and market intervention.