<p>Hyderabad: In a politically significant expansion of Andhra Pradesh’s welfare initiatives, Chief Minister <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/india/andhra-pradesh/women-entrepreneurs-to-drive-economic-empowerment-in-andhra-cm-naidu-3924015">N Chandrababu Naidu</a> will launch the ‘Divyang Shakti’ scheme on Wednesday, offering free bus travel to persons with disabilities statewide.</p><p>Timed as a special Ugadi gift, Naidu will launch the programme in Amaravati. The scheme is poised to benefit over 12.76 lakh people, also 11.16 lakh individuals with disabilities and their attendants one of India’s largest state-led mobility programs for the differently-abled.</p><p>The government has already spent around Rs 1,826 crore in the ‘Stree Shakti’ scheme, enabling over 52 crore free bus journeys for women. Under ‘Divyang Shakti,’ beneficiaries will enjoy free travel on all APSRTC services, with a 50 per cent fare concession for accompanying attendants. Eligibility for individuals with over 40 per cent disability and the coverage is expanded across 4 to 21 categories of disabilities. Annually government will support APSRTC with Rs 207 crore for implementation of this scheme.</p>.Andhra Pradesh MP embarrasses TDP after being tested for consuming drugs in rave party.<p>In a coordinated statewide rollout, MLAs will simultaneously launch the scheme in their constituencies, travel with beneficiaries, and participate in community outreach events giving the programme both administrative scale and political visibility.</p><p>Originally announced on December 3 - International Day of Persons with Disabilities, the scheme’s rollout during Ugadi adds cultural resonance while reinforcing the government’s positioning of Andhra Pradesh as a “people-first, inclusive growth state,” said a senior government official.</p>
<p>Hyderabad: In a politically significant expansion of Andhra Pradesh’s welfare initiatives, Chief Minister <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/india/andhra-pradesh/women-entrepreneurs-to-drive-economic-empowerment-in-andhra-cm-naidu-3924015">N Chandrababu Naidu</a> will launch the ‘Divyang Shakti’ scheme on Wednesday, offering free bus travel to persons with disabilities statewide.</p><p>Timed as a special Ugadi gift, Naidu will launch the programme in Amaravati. The scheme is poised to benefit over 12.76 lakh people, also 11.16 lakh individuals with disabilities and their attendants one of India’s largest state-led mobility programs for the differently-abled.</p><p>The government has already spent around Rs 1,826 crore in the ‘Stree Shakti’ scheme, enabling over 52 crore free bus journeys for women. Under ‘Divyang Shakti,’ beneficiaries will enjoy free travel on all APSRTC services, with a 50 per cent fare concession for accompanying attendants. Eligibility for individuals with over 40 per cent disability and the coverage is expanded across 4 to 21 categories of disabilities. Annually government will support APSRTC with Rs 207 crore for implementation of this scheme.</p>.Andhra Pradesh MP embarrasses TDP after being tested for consuming drugs in rave party.<p>In a coordinated statewide rollout, MLAs will simultaneously launch the scheme in their constituencies, travel with beneficiaries, and participate in community outreach events giving the programme both administrative scale and political visibility.</p><p>Originally announced on December 3 - International Day of Persons with Disabilities, the scheme’s rollout during Ugadi adds cultural resonance while reinforcing the government’s positioning of Andhra Pradesh as a “people-first, inclusive growth state,” said a senior government official.</p>