Govt keen on reaping demographic dividend:Yanamala

Kakinada: Finance Minister Yanamala Ramakrishnudu here on Friday said the State government was working on tuning the state’s population into human wealth. The government is focused on people’s welfare people despite financial constraints. “A huge sum of Rs 60,000 core is being spent only for the welfare activities,” he said. 

Speaking at the Janmabhoomi -Maa Vooru Grama Sabha at Vakalapudi village in Kakinada Rural mandal, the Minister said that nearly 40 percent of the Rs 1.56 lakh crore state budget was meant for welfare with an aim to eradicate poverty and to bridge inequalities in the society.

He further said that about 50 lakh people in the state availed varied types of pensions. The Minister informed, “During the fifth phase of Janmabhoomi programme, separate themes have been planned for each day with an intention to discuss upon a subject and implement the programmes.”

Speaking on education and human resources development, he said countries like Japan, Australia and USA, who had attained total literacy were in the forefront of development and necessary efforts have been made in the State to achieve hundred percent literacy rate from the current 70 percent to attain sustainable development. 

A whopping Rs 23,000 crore is said to have been allotted for education and steps were initiated to convert all hostels into residential schools in the state to improve the quality of education from the primary-level.

Speaking on loan waiver to farmers and DWCRA women, Yanamala said that Rs 24, 000 cores waiver was planned for farmers and Rs 14,000 crore were given so far. The reaming would be covered soon. Speaking on DWCRA women, he said, “Already Rs 7,300 crore were given as waiver and another Rs 750 crore would be given in the next three days.”

The minister distributed new ration cards, Chandranna Kanuka kits and insurance coverage benefits. Later, a group of cultural artists and schoolchildren performed different types of cultural programmes in the Janmabhoomi Grama Sabha. Exhibitions and medical camps were also arranged in the Grama Sabha. Kakinada Rural MLA Pilli Anantha Lakshmi, MPP Pulla Sudha Chandu, Constituency Development Officer S Mallibabu, Special Officer Bhavani and others attended the Janmabhoomi event.