Hyderabad: In the run-up to the assembly elections this year, the KCR government has focused on welfare schemes to garner support from poor families and backward classes as well as women.
It is said that keeping in view the Ugadi and Sri Ram Navami festivals, the government has decided to extend three welfare schemes in March. According to sources, the second phase of distribution of cattle will be started on the occasion of Ugadi among Yadav and Kurma communities. In addition, it has been decided to extend schemes such as KCR nutrition kits for pregnant women and provision of interest-free loans for self-help groups.
It may be recalled that in 2018, the first phase of distribution of cattle was started, under which 3.74 lakh goats were distributed at a cost of Rs 5,000 crore. Another 3.5 lakh units are planned to be distributed in the second phase. On the occasion of Ugadi, the distribution of cattle will start and there are 20 cattle under each unit.
In the first phase, the value of each unit was fixed at Rs 1.25 lakh, while in the second phase, the value of the unit was increased to Rs 1.75 lakh. Under the scheme, the government has decided to pay 75 percent of the amount, while 25 percent of the amount will have to be paid by the beneficiaries. The government has allocated Rs 6,000 crore for the second phase of cattle distribution.
In the last two years, the interest payment of loans received by self-help groups (SHG) from banks has been stopped by the government since the Corona epidemic. The arrears of self-help groups are said to be around Rs 5,000 crore and the government plans to pay in two phases.
In December 2022, KCR Nutrition kit scheme was introduced for pregnant women in 9 districts of the state. The government will extend the scheme to the remaining 24 districts on the occasion of Ram Navami. Under the KCR Kit, pregnant women are given plastic baskets in which one kg of nutrition mix, two kgs of dates, three syrups of iron, 500 grams of ghee, waxy templates and a cup are given. KCR Kit aims to control anaemia in women and increase haemoglobin.
Two kits are handed over to pregnant women in two phases. The first kit is given between 13 and 27 weeks, while the second kit is provided between 28 and 34 weeks. Each kit costs around Rs 1,962 and the government has allocated Rs 200 crore for the scheme in the 2023-24 budget.
According to reliable sources, Chief Minister KCR has directed the Cabinet Sub-Committee to prepare an action plan on implementation of schemes and for the expansion of welfare schemes so that more and more poor can benefit from the schemes.
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