VIJAYAWADA: Fulfilling his yet another poll promise, Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy will launch YSR Vahana Mitra, a scheme intended to provide financial assistance of Rs 10,000 to auto, taxi and maxi cab drivers-cum-owners, in Eluru on Friday.
On May 14 last year, during his 3,648-km Praja Sankalpa Yatra before the elections, Jagan, while interacting with auto drivers in Eluru, had promised to provide financial assistance to self-employed auto and taxi drivers once the YSRC comes to power.
The Jagan government issued a GO on September 9 announcing guidelines and eligibility for the scheme under which Rs 10,000 will be given to each auto/taxi drivers to meet insurance premium, licence fee and other recurring expenses. The State has allocated Rs 400 crore for the implementation of the scheme.
According to officials, 1,75,352 applications have been received so far. A test run had been be conducted on transferring the amount to the accounts of beneficiaries. “The money deposit process will begin from October 4 and an SMS will be sent to the beneficiaries,’’ officials said.
According to the available data, of the Rs 400 crore, SCs will be getting Rs 68 crore, STs Rs 20 crore and the rest to other castes.
Rs 285 crore for Eluru medical college
Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy will lay foundation stone for the proposed medical college in Eluru.
The government had already issued a GO sanctioning Rs 285 crore for setting up the medical college. The Medical Council of India (MCI) had already given its nod for setting up of the college with 100 seats. The district administration had identified 25 acres of land on the medical hospital premises for the construction of the medical college.
Health Minister Alla Srinivas has asked the officials to make available more land so that the college can be expanded in future. The college is coming up on the premises of the 518-bed government hospital which has all the required facilities like modern equipment, ICU, and several other blocks as mandated by the MCI.
After launching the Vahana Mitra scheme, Jagan would lay the foundation stone for the medical college building. From Eluru, he will reach Vijayawada and on Saturday, Jagan will be leaving for New Delhi to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi.