Amaravati: Andhra Pradesh chief minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy on Thursday launched the second tranche of YSR Aasara scheme’s distribution in Ongole, Prakasam district, at the PVR Boys’ High School.
The YSR Aasara is a scheme positioned by the AP government to improve the socio-economic status of economically challenged Self Help Groups (SHG) of women in rural and urban areas, and to enhance women empowerment and support families in need.
The tranche was initiated by crediting nearly Rs 6440 crore into the accounts of 78.76 lakh women belonging to 7.97 lakh SHGs, said a press release from Jagan Mohan Reddy’s office. Under the scheme, the outstanding loans of women SHGs which were Rs 25,517 crore (until April 2019) will be directly credited into their accounts in four phases.
Women in self-help groups usually find themselves caught in the vicious debt-ridden where the borrowing and repayment of loans taken to sustain their livelihood, coupled with exorbitant interest rates leave no room for savings or bettering their quality of life.
Speaking on the occasion, the AP chief minister said “SGH groups that were in the ‘A grade’ classification plummeted to ‘D grade’ and ‘C grade’ classification because their members couldn’t pay their debts and interest. Our government’s initiatives like YSR Aasara, YSR Sunna Vaddi Pathakam, and YSR Cheyutha are helping women from Self Help Groups come out of debt…”
The AP government aims to help women SHGs in the state by reimbursing their debt and also providing various other aids for almost every other crucial expenditure they may have in their daily lives. initiatives like Amma Vodi, Vasathi Deevena, Vidya Deevena and Vidya Kanuka aid women in providing an education for their children with all the necessities, whereas initiatives like Aarogyasri aid them in any medical/health expenditures their families may incur.
The state government has also signed MoUs with multinational companies like Agio-Reliance, Mahindra-Kheyti, Tanager, and Gramena Vikasa Kendram Society to provide women with business avenues and pave the way for sustainable economic development.