Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy has directed the officials to focus on resurvey of lands in villages, and establishment of digital libraries in rural and urban areas while encouraging self-employment schemes for women on a large scale under the Cheyutha programme.
At a review meeting of the Panchayat Raj and Rural Department held at the camp office at Tadepalli near here on Monday, Mr. Jagan Mohan Reddy said that the women beneficiaries of Cheyutha would be fully benefited if the first tranche amounts were utilised for self-employment schemes.
The zero-interest loan scheme for women would be implemented on August 10. A constant review of the employment programmes taken up by the PR Department was necessary. A separate wing should be established for assessing the implementation of these programmes, he said, adding that officials should handhold the self-help groups of women based on periodical assessment reports for running their units successfully.
He said that appointment of surveyors in all village secretariats had helped in completion of surveys at a fast pace and A.P. is the only State to have launched registration services in villages.
First, identify the places for construction and complete the construction of RBKs, digital libraries and village clinics. Also, pay special attention to Jagananna Colonies and ensure pleasant and hygienic atmosphere by providing all basic facilities and excellent sanitation. “There should be no compromise on this count,” he said.
“The government is giving ₹18,750 each to the members of women’s self-help groups every year totalling ₹75,000 in four years under YSR Cheyutha. You should focus on providing them bank loans and encourage them to start self-employment units for generating more revenue so that they will have economic empowerment,” he said.
“Women belong to the voiceless group and hence officials should work for their progress by negotiating with banks to reduce the interest rate on their loans. We succeeded in reducing the interest rate on self-help group bank loans to 9% mostly. Similarly, you should try to reduce the interest rate on Stree Nidhi loans also to 9%,” the Chief Minister said.
Deputy Chief Minister (PR & RD) B. Muthyala Naidu, Chief Secretary K.S. Jawahar Reddy, Special Chief Secretary (PR & RD) B. Rajasekhar, Finance Secretary K.V.V. Satyanarayana, PR & RD Commissioner A. Surya Kumari, SVAMITVA Special Commissioner A. Siri, SERP CEO A. Md. Imtiaz, Swachha Andhra Corporation MD J. Venkata Murali and other officials were present.
