Andhra CM announces cash incentives for medal-winning sportspersons

Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy on Tuesday announced that cash incentives would be given to all sportspersons who won medals at the national level from 2014.

"The gold medallists would be given Rs 5 lakh, silver medallists Rs 4 lakh and while the bronze medallists would get Rs 3 lakh," he told officials during a review meeting on sports.

The chief minister also held review meetings on Spandana, implementation of social welfare schemes, recruitment of village volunteers, the launch of Rythu Bharosa programme, sand, housing and sports policies and financial support to Agrigold victims.

On Spandana, Reddy asked district collectors to create a mechsm to cope with the increasing workload.

"Petitions that are being rejected should come to the notice of the district collectors and they should be rejected after proper examination. District collectors should focus on clearing pending petitions," he said.

The chief minister also inquired about the efforts being made towards providing housing to the eligible by Ugadi.

"Many petitions in the Spandana programme are regarding housing. Village volunteers should play a major role in identifying the beneficiaries of 25 lakh houses," he said.

The chief minister said that his government would start giving Rs 10,000 per year as assistance to auto and cab drivers from the last week of September.

'YSR Rythu Bharosa' under which farmers will be given financial assistance would be implemented from October 15.

The state government has also decided to give Rs 10,000 as financial assistance to the fisherfolk from November 21.

"The government would increase diesel subsidy to owners of mechsed boats from Rs 6 to Rs 9 per litre. This scheme will be implemented from November 21," the chief minister said and asked the officials to focus on the implementation of the programme for providing Rs 24,000 financial assistance to handloom weavers.

"Ammavodi scheme would start from January 26. Financial assistance of Rs 10,000 to Nayee Brahmins, tailors and rajakas who owns shops would start in the last week of February along with YSR Pelli Kanuka. Christian pastors, Muslim imams and muezzins and priests would get financial assistance in the last week of March," he added.

In the review meeting on Agrigold victims, the chief minister asked officials to start giving money to them from September. The government would take over the assets and recover the money by auctioning the properties.

The new sand policy will come into effect from September 5. Reddy directed officials to ensure the availability of sand at lower rates than the current prices.

"The government would start the supply of quality rice in Srikakulam from September as a pilot project," he added.

( With inputs from ANI )