Andhra: 95,245 poor women to receive financial aid in second phase of YSR Kapu Nestham scheme

As many as 95,245 poor women from four backward classes of Andhra Prdaesh will receive financial aid of Rs 15,000 each for five years under the second phase of "YSR Kapu Nestham" welfare scheme.

The funds for the scheme, introduced in 2019-20 by the YSRCP government, was released by Andhra Pradesh Backward Classes Welfare Minister Chelluboina Srinivasa Venugopalakrishna on Saturday.

Under the scheme, poor women between the age group of 45 and 60 years from Kapu, Telaga, Balija and Ontari castes, will be given Rs 15,000 per annum for five years.

In the first phase, 2,35,873 beneficiaries were identified. Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy had credited Rs 353.80 crore to the encumbered accounts of the beneficiaries through Direct Benefit Transfer on June 24, 2020.

While releasing the funds, Venugopalakrishna slammed Telugu Desam Party chief and former chief minister Chandrababu Naidu for allegedly using the Kapu community for his political needs by flaring up disputes among castes.

"Chandrababu Naidu had filed cases against the Kapu community people and imprisoned those who asked him to fulfill the promises he had made. Chandrababu had cheated the Kapu community by making impractical promises. But YS has never made any such false promises. The YS government is taking steps to help the poor through the YSR Kapu Nestham scheme. Jagan's aim is to uplift all poor people in all communities. That's why he is implementing welfare schemes for all."

Kapu Corporation chairman Jakkampudi Raja, who was also present on the occasion, slammed Naidu too, saying that he had ignored the promises of allocating Rs 5,000 crore for the community. "The YSRCP government is spending Rs 2,000 crore per annum for the welfare of Kapu, Telaga, Balija and Ontari communities," he said.

( With inputs from ANI )