HYDERABAD: After scrapping the Bangaru Talli scheme of YS Rajasekhara Reddy government, the TRS government is now having a relook into Abhaya Hastham and Vaddi Leni Runalu (interest-free loans) schemes of the YSR government. The State government may modify these schemes or may cancel them on the lines of Bangaru Talli.
The State government on Tuesday issued orders constituting a three-member committee headed by Finance Minister T Harish Rao to review Abhaya Hastham and Vaddi Leni Runalu (VLR) schemes. Principal finance secretary and panchayat raj secretary are the other members of the committee. “The committee will review the functioning of the two schemes and recommend further course of action to be taken,” according to orders issued by panchayat raj secretary Sandeep Kumar Sultania.
Abhaya Hastham is a contributory pension scheme of the Self Help Group women. According to officials there are 47 lakh members in more than 4 lakh Self Help Groups (SHGs) under the Abhaya Hastham programme in the State. The scheme was originally launched by the then chief minister YS Rajasekhara Reddy on February 6, 2009.
The Congress leaders have been alleging that the TRS government is diluting the Abhaya Hastham scheme.