Andhra Pradesh CM Naidu asks Collectors to implement welfare schemes with family as unit

Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu has directed District Collectors to ensure that welfare schemes are implemented by treating the family as the basic unit, rather than encouraging households to split into smaller ones to avail themselves of more benefits.

Reviewing the implementation of the government’s ‘Super Six’ welfare schemes on the second day of the eighth Collectors’ Conference in Amaravati on Friday, Mr. Naidu said that the family mapping exercise should be completed before new pensions were issued. Existing beneficiaries, however, should continue to receive their benefits during the exercise.

He said families should not be encouraged to split merely for more ration or pension benefits. The government’s policy, he said, was to strengthen larger families by extending greater benefits to them.

Mr. Naidu suggested that ration benefits be structured so that every member of a family would receive five kg of rice. He asked officials to identify gaps in the welfare schemes and formulate better policies based on the family as the unit of delivery.

The government has spent around ₹1.50 lakh crore on welfare programmes so far, of which ₹75,000 crore was spent on pensions, he said. Welfare policies should seek to reduce economic inequalities and improve living standards, he said.

He asked SERP and MEPMA to expand the ‘One Family, One Entrepreneur’ programme and said steps were being taken to create 5 lakh women entrepreneurs. The P4 programme should be implemented as a movement rather than a routine exercise, he said.

One day for one scheme

Mr. Naidu asked Collectors to use designated days each month for specific public-service programmes. The first of every month should be devoted to ‘Pedala Sevalo’ (service to the poor), the ninth to ‘Mee Bhoomi–Mee Hakku’ for cleaning the land records, the third Saturday to ‘Swachh Andhra–Swarnandhra’ and the fourth Saturday to the ‘Sanjeevani’ digital health-record programme.

He said eliminating anemia among women and children and promoting healthier communities should form an important part of the State’s Vision 2047.

He asked officials to formulate plans to generate revenue from Wakf properties and complete unfinished Kapu Corporation buildings. Hostel students should be provided quality products and better educational facilities, he said.

Agriculture Minister K. Atchannaidu raised the long-standing demand for inclusion of the Yanadi Konda community of Srikakulam district in the Scheduled Tribes list. Mr. Naidu said inclusion in the ST list was a matter for the Centre. Pending a decision on the issue, he directed officials to extend benefits applicable to ST communities to members of the Yanadi Konda community, citing the manner in which benefits were extended to the Budaga Jangam community.