VIJAYAWADA: The State government will start the implementation of extending financial assistance of Rs 10,000 per annum to autorickshaw, taxi and maxi cab drivers cum owners from October 4, said Transport Minister Perni Venkataramaiah on Thursday.
Speaking to the media at Interim Government Complex (IGC) Velagapudi, Venkataramaiah said that autorickshaw, taxi and maxi cab drivers have been facing hardships in meeting their daily requirements. Considering their plight, Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy had decided to extend financial assistance for renewal of their vehicle insurance, fitness checkups and other repair work.
He called upon the owners of autorickshaws to enrol themselves online or offline for availing the scheme from September 14 as the deadline for the procedure is September 25.
The minister said that instructions were given to the district collectors to arrange enough number of centres in major municipal corporations such as Visakhapatnam, Vijayawada and Tirupati to accept the offline applications from the beneficiaries and prevent stampede-like situation near the centres.
He said that beneficiaries can enrol themselves for the scheme at DTC/RTO/Unit Office/MVI office/e-Seva/Mee Seva/MPDO/CSC/municipal commissioner offices. Apart from that, the applications were made available with the village and ward volunteers and people can file them over phone as well.
“We have estimated that the scheme would benefit around four lakh cab drivers across the State. In case the number increased, the government won’t hesitate to extend the financial assistance. All the beneficiaries are requested to submit a bank account without any loans or else they can submit the details of their new bank account while filing their applications. Soon, the date and venue for launching the scheme will be announced,” Venkataramaiah added.
Later, the minister conducted a video conference with the DTCs and MVIs and discussed the modalities of the scheme.
On the occasion, he directed the transport commissioner PSR Anjaneyulu to convene an awareness meeting with the auto unions and make them aware of the scheme. Anjaneyulu replied that scheme details will be made available at department website, https://aptransport.in/aphome.html, by Friday evening.