New pensions, ration cards to 4 lakh people from June 2

Amaravati: Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu announced that pensions and new ration cards would be distributed to around four lakh new beneficiaries from June 2.

The Chief Minister directed the officials to select the beneficiaries from those who would be recommended by a committee comprised of Janmabhoomi committee member, a member of Sadhikara Mithra and a Panchayat official. 

In a review meeting held in the Secretariat with officials of Minority Welfare, Women, Children, Differently-Abled and Senior Citizens Welfare (WCDASC) and SERP, the Chief Minister said pensions would be given to eligible persons in the state and the Janmabhoomi committees must work to recommend the most eligible beneficiaries.

A pension disbursement officer will be deputed for each panchayat or ward to improve pensioners’ satisfaction, he said. He also instructed the officials from Tata Trust, to conduct a pilot survey in a handful of villages and verify the data in Praja Sadhikara Survey. 

SERP CEO P Krishna Mohan said that the SHG Bank Linkage scheme disbursement for 2017-18 was Rs 13,402 crore to 4,93,014 SHGs. Both physical (103%) and financial (121%) targets were achieved.

Under Pasupu Kumkuma, Rs 6,883.44 crore  were paid to 86,04,304 members, Rs 2,514 crore were paid to 8.5 lakh SHGs up to July 2016 under Vaddi Leni Runalu scheme. He also said Rs 2,026 crore required to pay dues under this scheme till 31 March 2018. 

He also presented the Stree Nidhi Livelihood Loans strategy for 2018-19, which aims to provide 25 livelihood loans per Panchayat. Against a target credit plan of Rs 980 crore, Rs 992.81 crore were disbursed last year. 

Under NTR Bharosa, Rs 526.47 crore are being disbursed per month for pensions. The new categories sanctioned this year under the scheme are trans-genders and dialysis patients. Under Chandranna Bhima, Rs 665.65 crore of claim amount has been distributed to 47,761 bereaved families from October 2nd 2017 till date. 

SERP has granted a revolving fund of Rs 10,000 for every Farmer Producer Groups and Rs 71.16 crore have been released for the groups. For Minority Welfare, Rs 1,101.9 crore was allocated in the budget of 2018-19.

The Chief Minister said that people should be made more aware of the schemes- Overseas Educational Scholarships Scheme and NTR Vidyonnathi. Officials have said that the Minority Tribunal will be established soon, and recruit members from the Minority Commission.    

Officials also reported that for the welfare of pesh imams and muazzins of low income mosques, Rs 5,000 and Rs 3,000 is being sanctioned and 8,608 mosques have been supported with Rs 27.54 crore so far.  

The Chief Minister has instructed that Women and Children Welfare Department must aim to make state ‘Free of Anaemia and Malnourishment’. “By updating real-time statistics of health records and the impact of different practices, collectors must work towards fulfilling this goal.” Officials have said a child-friendly court in Vijayawada will be established in Vijayawada for victims of sexual harassment.

Secretary to Woman and Child Welfare Sunitha, secretary M Girija Shankar and Principal Secretary (Minorities Welfare) K Praveen Kumar were also present during the meeting.