Prioritise welfare schemes CM asks officials to take steps for unveiling of Ambedkar statue on Jan 19

Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy has directed District Collectors to make fool-proof arrangements for implementing welfare programmes ‘YSR Pension Kanuka’, ‘YSR Cheyutha’ and ‘YSR Aasara’ in January and February 2024.
Reviewing the arrangements with the District Collectors and senior officials officials concerned to make proper arrangements for the inauguration of Dr BR Ambedkar’s statue in Vijayawada on January 19.
He said the government has proved its credibility by implementing the election promise of a pension hike.
In view of the monthly social pensions being hiked to Rs 3000, inauguration of Dr BR Ambedkar’s statue scheduled for Jan 19 and ‘YSR Aasara’ and ‘YSR Cheyuta’ taking place from January 23 to 31 and February 5 to 14 respectively, the
pre-launch and post-launch arrangements also should be perfect, reflecting festive atmosphere, he told them. With the monthly social pensions and several pensioners going up to Rs 3,000 from Rs 1,000 and to 66 lakh from 33 lakh respectively in the last four and a half years, the government’s monthly expenditure on social pensions has also gone up to
Rs 1,950 crore from Rs 400 crore in TDP rule, he said, adding that it should be explained to people very well.
“We are also delivering the monthly pensions to all eligible persons by sunrise on the first of every month,” he said and added that 1.7 lakh persons who missed pensions for various reasons would be added to the beneficiaries’ list even before the bi-annual programme on Jan 5 taking the total number of pensioners to 66, 34, 742 and the monthly expenditure to Rs 1968 crore. MLAs, volunteers, enthusiasts and other local people’s representatives should participate in the 8- day Pension Kanuka programme beginning January 1 in every
Mandal and hand over their personal letter and video message to the beneficiaries, the Chief Minister said, adding he would join the programme at Kakinada on January 3,
‘Braving all odds, we are incurring around Rs 23,000 crore annually on pension scheme fulfilling the election promise and implementing it with the committed involvement of volunteers village and ward secretariat staff” , he said observing that the government has been extending this service to protect the self-respect of pensioners who were neglected during the TDP rule.