Jagan hands out financial assistance to poor women from 'forward' communities

The YSRCP government has extended financial assistance under the “YSR EBC Nestham” scheme benefiting about 4.4 lakh poor women from the Reddy, Kamma, Aryavaishya, Brahmin, Kshatriya, Velama and other forward/other caste communities across the state.

Chief Minister Jaganmohan Reddy released Rs 658 crore as the second tranche of YSR EBC Nestham, to be directly credited into the bank accounts of beneficiaries aged between 45 and 60 years to help them set up their business units.

Under the YSR EBC Nestham, the state government is extending Rs 15,000 per annum for three years for each beneficiary to make them self-reliant and turn entrepreneurs. The scheme is not part of the YSRCP election manifesto but was introduced by Reddy to extend a helping hand to the poor women from communities other than BC, SC and ST, officials said.

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The government has so far released Rs 1,257 crore under the YSR EBC Nestham, crediting Rs 30,000 to each beneficiary in two tranches.

Addressing a public meeting at Markapuram in Prakasam district on Wednesday, after releasing the amount at the click of a button, the Chief Minister said that his government has been, in right earnest, working towards the all round development of women.

“Aiming at their economic, political and social empowerment, our government has been implementing a slew of welfare schemes like YSR Sampoorna Poshana, YSR Kalyanamasthu/Shadi Tohfa, Vidya Deevena, Vasathi Deevena, Videshi Vidya Deevena, YSR Aasara, YSR Cheyutha, YSR Kapu Nestham, YSR EBC Nestham in an unprecedented manner,” the CM said.

So far, 30 lakh house sites have been distributed to women across the state, and 20 lakh houses are under construction, Reddy said, adding that his government has also cleared DWCRA bank loans to the tune of Rs 19,178 crore out of a total of Rs 25, 570 crore kept pending under the TDP rule.