The Andhra Pradesh government released ₹81.64 crore towards the fourth tranche of the YSR Kalyanamasthu and YSR Shaadi Tohfa schemes, benefiting the girls married during the July-September quarter of 2023.
Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy deposited the amount into the bank accounts of the beneficiaries directly with the click of a button, at his camp office at Tadepalli near here on November 23 (Thursday).
Mr. Jagan Mohan Reddy said that the scheme aimed at helping girls from the poor SC, ST, BC, minority, construction workers’ families and the differently-abled category to pursue their education. The amount, benefitting 10,511 couples, has been directly credited into the bank accounts of their mothers. So far, ₹348.84 crore has been disbursed to 46,062 beneficiaries under the schemes. “It is a matter of happiness that 8,042 girls of the 10,511 beneficiaries have received the benefits of Amma Vodi, Vasathi Deevena and Vidya Deevena schemes, which indicates that a majority of them are pursuing college education, he said.
The government has made it compulsory for the brides and the grooms to pass the 10th class examination to avail of the benefits of the schemes. The marriageable age limit for girls and boys has been fixed at 18 and 21 respectively. “These conditions, coupled with other welfare schemes such as Vidya Deevena, Vasathi Deevena and Amma Vodi, help the girls continue their education at the college level. These schemes also help check child marriages, reduce the dropout rate and increase the Gross Enrolment Ratio (GER) in schools and colleges,” said the Chief Minister.
Reiterating that “education is the only weapon that eliminates social ills such as poverty and transforms the society into a dynamic one”, he said that the YSR Kalyanamasthu scheme worked as an additional factor for this transformation.
“The TDP, during its tenure, had implemented the scheme for namesake and ditched 17,709 girls, while the YSRCP government introduced it with good intention. We have been implementing it with commitment,” said Mr. Jagan Mohan Reddy.
Making a comparison, the Chief Minister said that the SC, ST, BC, and Minority beneficiaries had got ₹40,000, ₹50,000, ₹35,000, and ₹50,000 each during the TDP rule, while the YSRCP government had increased the benefits to ₹1,00,000, ₹1,00,000, ₹50,000 and ₹1,00,000 respectively.
The differently-abled people and construction workers, who were promised ₹1,00,000 and ₹20,000 each during the TDP rule, are getting the enhanced benefits of ₹1,50,000 and ₹40,000 respectively. Similarly, the incentives for the SC, ST, and BC beneficiaries who opted for inter-caste marriage have gone up to ₹1,20,000 from ₹75,000 each, to ₹1, 20,000 from ₹75,000 each, and to ₹75,000 from ₹50,000 each respectively, said Mr,. Jagan Mohan Reddy.
Some beneficiaries from different districts also spoke to the Chief Minister in virtual mode and thanked him for implementing the schemes.
Social Welfare Minister M. Nagarjuna, Women and Child Welfare Minister K.V. Usha Sricharan, BC Welfare Minister Ch. Venugopala Krishna, Labour Minister G. Jayaram and others were present on the occasion.
