Vijayawada:In a significant event marking the completion of one year of the TD-led alliance government, Chief Minister Nara Chandrababu Naidu on Thursday launched the Talliki Vandanam welfare scheme.
The event was held at the CM camp office in Undavalli in the presence of education minister Nara Lokesh.
Notably, for the first time, only Naidu and Lokesh shared the dais. The CM presented the government order to the minister and the two addressed the media.
Naidu said, “We promised every student would receive support under this scheme, no matter how many children a family has. Today, we have kept our word. As the government marks completion of its first year, we are implementing this major promise, one of the Super Six guarantees.”
Under this scheme, Rs 10,091 crore would be spent for 67.27 lakh students, out of which `1,346 crore could go towards improving school infrastructure.
The CM said there was a major difference between Talliki Vandanam and the previous government’s Amma Vodi. “They covered only 42,61,965 students while we are reaching the benefits to 67,27,164 students. They spent Rs 5,540 crore; we are allocating Rs 8,745 crore.”
Naidu said even students of Class 1 and Intermediate 1st year have been included. Once school admissions are confirmed, funds would be transferred to the beneficiaries. “If a mother is not present, the amount will go to the father or the guardian. For orphans, the district collector would designate a recipient.
The scheme would also cover 76,000 students of private unaided schools.
To ensure transparency, he said, the beneficiary lists would be displayed at the village and ward secretariats. If there are any issues due to technical glitches, those would be addressed immediately upon application. Time has been given until June 26, and the final list would be published on June 30.
Pointing out a majority of the beneficiaries are from the weaker sections, the chief minister said, “Out of the 67.27 lakh beneficiaries, 29.82 lakh are BCs, 11.76 lakh SCs, 4.26 lakh STs, 66,500 minorities, and 8.44 lakh EBC students.”
Naidu asserted, “This is a step towards demographic equity. There are 18,55,760 families with one child, 29,10,644 with two children, 6,32,052 with three, and 80,212 mothers with four children.”
Under the Annadata Sukhibhava, including the Centre’s `6,000 support, farmers would receive `20,000 in three installments annually. This would be launched on June 20.
He said, “In the last five years, the state was torn apart. There was no development. While they talked of prohibition, they mortgaged state revenues for 25 years to raise loans. Even the tahsildar offices were pledged. Employees didn’t get salaries on time; pensioners were neglected. We resolved all this.”
Praising minister Lokesh’s efforts, the CM said, “Lokesh is leading the employment generation and investment promotion efforts.We’ve already signed MoUs for `9.50 lakh crore investments that would generate 8.5 lakh jobs. We are also finalising an unemployment allowance scheme and linking ‘Aadabidda Nidhi’ to P4.”
He, however, warned, “I will not sit idle if public safety or law and order is threatened. The YSRC destroyed the state and now they cannot bear to see the development and welfare brought by the present government. They are conspiring like demons to disrupt the state.”
“They called Amaravati, the City of the Gods, a city of prostitutes. Is this what you support, meeting ganja peddlers in Tenali and taking rowdies to Podili to attack women? Rowdyism will not be tolerated. So far, you’ve seen my tolerance. From now on, I will not hold back,” Naidu said.