VIJAYAWADA: Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy on Friday released Rs 87.32 crore under YSR Kalyanamasthu and Shaadi Tohfa to benefit 12,132 girls who got married between January and March this year. The amount was directly credited into the bank accounts of beneficiaries belonging to Scheduled Castes (SC), Scheduled Tribes (ST), Minorities, disabled people and construction workers.
Jagan asserted that the schemes were not only meant to financially support the girls but also change the mindset of parents to educate their daughters as one of the eligibility criteria is that the beneficiaries have been Class X pass.
Stating that the government believes education to be the only weapon that will eradicate poverty, the Chief Minister said, “Of the total 12,132 beneficiaries under the marriage assistance schemes, 5,929 were also beneficiaries of Jagananna Vidya Deveena and Vasthi Deevenna.”
Lashing out at the Opposition, Jagan accused the previous TDP regime of implementing the scheme just before the elections. “As many as 17,709 beneficiaries were left high and dry in 2018 as the TDP failed to credit Rs 70 crore. While SC, ST, BC, and Minority beneficiaries got Rs 40,000, Rs 50,000, Rs 35,000, and Rs 50,000 each during the TDP regime, the YSRC government hiked the aid to Rs 1.20 lakh, Rs 1 lakh, Rs 50,000 and Rs 1 lakh.”
He added, “While the differently-abled people and construction workers received Rs 1 lakh and Rs 20,000 each during the TDP rule, they will now receive Rs 1.50 lakh and Rs 40,000 respectively. Similarly, the incentive for SC and ST beneficiaries was hiked to Rs 1.20 lakh from Rs 75,000, while for BCs it was hiked to Rs 75,000 from Rs 50,000.”
Later, the Chief Minister also interacted with some of the beneficiaries. Social Welfare Minister Merugu Nagarjuna, Women and Child Welfare Minister KV Usha Sricharan, Labour Minister G Jayaram and other higher officials were also present.