BJP talks with Jr NTR, TDP perk Jagan ears, Andhra CM sets out on outreach drive

The subtext of the Centre’s invitation last month to TDP chief N Chandrababu Naidu to a meeting of the national committee formed to commemorate the 75th anniversary of Independence and a private chat Naidu had with Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the sidelines of the meeting was not lost on the YSRCP, according to party functionaries. Jagan Mohan Reddy was also invited to the meeting but he skipped it as he had to attend weddings.

Former YSRCP minister Kodali Venkateshwara Rao sparked speculation about all the Opposition parties coming together against the Jagan-led outfit when he said a person of Amit Shah’s stature does not meet a film star without any reason.

Marriage assistance schemes

The CM has already dispatched ministers, MLAs, and party leaders to their constituencies as part of a door-to-door outreach programme to meet beneficiaries of government schemes and urge them to vote for the YSRCP.

Last week, the government doubled the number of eligible SC, ST, and Backward Caste women beneficiaries of the YSR Cheyutha scheme in the 45-60 age group. 25 lakh women in this age bracket will receive annual financial assistance of Rs 18,750 to start small businesses.

On Saturday, the government announced it would implement two new schemes, YSR Kalyanamasthu and YSR Shaadi Tohfa, from October 1. Sources said that although the marriage cash incentive was a poll promise, the government was unable to implement it due to the huge expenditure involved. Two-and-a-half years into power, the Jagan administration has not only decided to implement the schemes for SC, ST, BC, and minorities, but has also included construction workers (documented or not) in the scheme.

Announcing the schemes, the CM said the cash amount was more than what the previous government had promised and failed to provide. Under “Kalyanamasthu”, Rs 1 lakh will be given to couples from SC communities while in the case of an inter-caste marriage in which one of the spouses belongs to an SC community, Rs 1.2 lakh will be granted. The same applies to STs, while Backward Caste couples will be given Rs 50,000 and if it is an inter-caste marriage involving one Backward Caste person, the amount will be Rs 75,000. For minorities, the financial assistance is Rs 1 lakh, and for people with disabilities, it is Rs 1.5 lakh. Construction workers, irrespective of whether have domicile documents or not, are eligible to receive Rs 40,000. The previous TDP government paid Rs 40,000 to SCs and Rs 75,000 for inter-caste marriages involving SCs; for STs, the amount was Rs 50,000 and Rs 75,000 respectively; for minorities, it was Rs 50,000; and people with disabilities received Rs 1 lakh. Under the TDP administration, construction workers were eligible to receive Rs 20,000.

The marriage assistance schemes will be implemented through village and ward secretariats. BC Welfare and Information and Public Relations Minister C S Venugopala Krishna said with the implementation of the Kalyanamasthu scheme, the state government would “fulfil 98.44 per cent” of the YSRCP’s poll promises.

Jagan Mohan Reddy, according to government and ruling party officials, will reach out to women with a personal message on September 22 to mark the increase in the number of beneficiaries of the YSR Cheyutha scheme. To publicise and create awareness about the scheme, ministers, MLAs and YSRCP leaders will be present in each constituency along with some women beneficiaries when the cash transfer will be carried out. YSRCP leaders have also been instructed to attend mass marriage ceremonies to publicise the marriage cash incentive schemes.