AP to have separate wing to monitor employment generation, zero-interest scheme for women from August

AMARAVATI: Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy laying emphasis on constant monitoring of employment generation programmes implemented by the Government, proposed the establishment of a separate wing under the Panchayat Raj Department.

At a review meeting of the Panchayat Raj and Rural Department on Monday the Chief Minister said that a zero-interest loan scheme for women would be implemented from August 10, 2023. He said that officials should handhold the self-help groups of women based on periodical assessment reports for running their units successfully.

He urged the officials to focus on resurveying lands in villages and establishing digital libraries in rural and urban areas. He advised them to encourage self-employment schemes for women under the ‘Cheyutha’ programme. YS Jagan said that the women beneficiaries of Cheyutha would be fully benefitted if the first tranche amounts were utilised for self-employment schemes.

The Chief Minister said that the appointment of surveyors in all village secretariats had helped the completion of the survey at a fast pace and AP was the only State to launch registration services in villages. He asked them to first identify the construction places and complete the construction of digital libraries and village clinics.

He told them to pay special attention to Jagananna Colonies and ensure a pleasant and hygienic ambiance by providing all basic facilities and excellent sanitation. He said that the Government was giving Rs 18,750 to each member of women’s self-help groups every year, totaling Rs 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, YS Jagan noted.

“We succeeded in reducing the interest rate on self-help group bank loans to 9 percent. Similarly, you should try to reduce the interest rate on Stree Nidhi loans also to 9 percent,” the Chief Minister told the officers.

Chief Minister was informed that the State registered the completion of 18.90 crore man days under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) against the target of 24 crore man days and an amount of Rs 3,860 crore would be paid towards wages.