Cash transfer scheme rolled out in Chittoor district

- Post offices to render service at doorsteps of beneficiaries - They will appoint agents who will be paid commission - CM said Rs 7,390 cr released to quench thirst of district Tirupati : Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy and Union Rural Development Minister Jairam Ramesh jointly launched the Aadhaar-linked cash transfer scheme through post offices in Chandragiri, 15 km from here, on Saturday morning. In the first of its kind scheme in the country, post offices would appoint agents from the members of self help groups to hand over the cash to beneficiaries like pensioners, NREGA workers and farmers who are eligible for subsidies. Addressing a huge gathering on the occasion, Kiran Kumar Reddy said the scheme which would be applicable in the entire district was the first of its kind in the country. People in 1,280 panchayats would be covered in the first phase and the remaining 88 panchayats would also be covered sooner. The main objective of money transfer scheme was to provide benefits to the beneficiaries at their doorsteps. Just by giving thump impressions to the hand-held machines carried by the agencies, beneficiaries can have their cash. They need not made rounds to bank officials and district authorities for opening accounts. He said the agents appointed by post offices would get some commission. He informed an amount of Rs 7,390 crore was released for the Chittoor district to tide over the drinking water crisis. The project would be taken up in two phases; Rs 5,990 crore would be spent in the first phase and Rs 1,400 crore in the second phase. Drinking water would be drawn from Kandaleru reservoir, and the entire project would be completed in the next two years. The CM also said that some women brought to his notice during his tours that though the government gave Rs 1 kg rice, they found it difficult to bear skyrocketing prices of other commodities. "In order to help my sisters, the Congress government is going to launch a multi-provision package scheme consisting of dhal, sugar, Chilly powder, tamarind, turmeric, salt, wheat and Palmolive oil from Ugadi day next month for just Rs 185. The government is going to bear a cost of over Rs 600 crore towards providing this benefit to the poor people, he said. He said all the districts would have Mahila Industrial Parks soon. Already women entrepreneurs had established an industrial park in Nalgonda district recently in an area of 35 acres with an investment of of Rs 124 crore. The CM had a dig at TDP president N Chandrababu Naidu, describing him as a 'Walking Friend'. "Naidu belongs to a village of this constituency. I don't want to talk against him. I won't mention his name also. But I am calling him a walking friend," he said. He scoffed at the TDP chief, saying that his claim on BC welfare was unfounded. He said that during his nine years of rule, Naidu had spent only Rs 1,580 crore for BCs. But the Congress government had allocated Rs 4,027 Crore for the BCs in the recently annual budget.

Cash will be dispensed in 20 seconds Union Minister Jairam Ramesh claimed just 20 seconds time was all needed to effect cash transfer to the beneficiaries. Money will be deposited in their bank accounts on taking thumb impressions, he said. Everywhere cash was being transferred through banks, but in Chittoor district it would be through post offices, the first of its kind in the country, he noted. Union Communication Minister Killi Kriparani said extending service through post offices would ensure accountability and transparency. After a year, beneficiaries would be covered for all kinds of payments viz., scholarships, pensions for senior citizens etc. She requested Jairam Ramesh to establish the nationalized women bank in AP. Minister Sunitha Lakshma Reddy said that government had distributed about Rs 1,500 crore through Sthree Nidhi bank to the members of women self help groups. A Minister K Parthasarathy, Chittoor MP N Sivaprasad and Tirupati MP Chinta Mohan and district Congress leaders and officials were present.