Chief Minister N. Kiran Kumar Reddy has said that Rs 26,000-crore benefits are being given annually to various sections, i.e., to eight crore plus population in the State. Each family is being benefited by four or five schemes by the government, i.e., 2.75 crore households. These include interest-free loans to one crore farmers, 1.4 crore Self-Help Group women, scholarships to 26 lakh students, Indira Jala Prabha to six lakh SC, ST families.
In an informal chat with media persons in Kurnool, the Chief Minister said the international organisations like World Bank hailed Andhra Pradesh’s poverty alleviation schemes for Self Help Groups for 11 million people. In a recent report, the World Bank has termed the State schemes as role model in the world. Kiran Kumar Reddy said that during last four months alone, the State spent Rs 1000 crores every month under the NREGS. He also said that under this scheme job days were enhanced by another 50 days for those who have completed 100 days at State government’s cost. (NSS)