Rs 11.59 cr credited into 11,598 drivers' accounts in Tirupati

Tirupati/Chittoor/Nellore/Rayachoti/Kadapa: The 4th installment of benefit under YSR Vahana Mitra scheme has been credited into the accounts of 11,598 drivers and owners of auto, taxi and maxi cabs in Tirupati district. While the statewide programme was held at Visakhapatnam on Friday in which Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy took part and pressed the button to credit Rs 261.52 crores into beneficiaries' accounts, the district level programme was held at the Collectorate in Tirupati.

Minister R K Roja, MP Dr M Gurumoorthy, Collector K Venkata Ramana Reddy, SP P Parameswar Reddy, district transport officer (DTO) K Seetha Rami Reddy and others took part in the programme and released the mega cheque for Rs 11,59,800. Under the scheme each beneficiary gets Rs 10,000 per annum.

Speaking on the occasion, Minister Roja said that Jagan was committed towards the welfare of poor and implementing various schemes to reach every home. No other state in the country has been providing welfare schemes for drivers and owners of auto rickshaws, taxi and maxi cabs except AP. The CM has been continuing the scheme for the fourth successive year since 2019-20 and a total of Rs 1,025 crores have been credited into beneficiaries' accounts under the scheme.

MP Gurumoorthy said the CM has noticed the plight of various sections of people during his padayatra and is implementing the welfare schemes as per the stipulated date every year without a break. So far, Rs 1,65,000 crores have been credited into the accounts of beneficiaries of various welfare schemes which was never seen anywhere since Independence.

Collector Venkata Ramana Reddy said that the amount of Rs 10,000 provided under Vahana Mitra will be useful for the drivers towards the vehicle insurance and their maintenance. This year 2,789 new beneficiaries have been added under the scheme after verifying the applications to take the total to 11,598. DTO Seetha Rami Reddy also spoke.

After the programme, Minister Roja drove an auto rickshaw with the MP and Collector in the back seat. In Nellore, District Collector K V N Chakradhar Babu said 15,952 drivers in the district benefitted from programme and the state deposited Rs 15.95 crore into the accounts of beneficiaries. He said Rs 10,000 was useful for vehicle insurance and for maintenance. He said 4,258 additional beneficiaries were included in the scheme this year.

In Rayachoti, district in-charge Minister A Suresh stated that the government is committed to eradicate poverty by improving living standards of people. Speaking after launching 4th phase of YSR Vahana Mitra here on Friday, the minister said that despite the government has been facing serious financial crises after the outbreak of Coronavirus it continued financial support in the interest of poor. In 4th phase of YSR Vahana Mitra, he said Chief Minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy has credited Rs 261. 81 crores in the accounts of 2,60,516 beneficiaries in the state.

Meanwhile in Annamayya district, 7,563 got Rs 7.56 crores under the scheme. On the occasion, several auto owners-cum-drivers participated in the video conference and shared their experiences with the CM. In YSR District, Collector V Vijaya Rama Raju said that as many as 10,260 auto, maxi, taxi owners got benefited Rs 10.62 crores in the district. He said that in case beneficiaries fails to secure the financial aid, they can contact the authorities through 1920 number.