On 8th March 2021, International women’s day, Andhra Pradesh(AP) Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy announced that the state would become the first state of India to incorporate the Gender Budget in its annual budget of the fiscal year 2021 to 2022 with an aim to provide better service to women.
The gender budget list outs the expenditure for women welfare under various schemes of the state.
- He participated at the women’s day celebration at the camp office in Tadepalli, Krishna District, Andhra Pradesh and virtually inaugurated the Women’s help desks in all the police stations across the state along with Cyber Kiosks.
Key points:
i.He stated that the government has introduced various schemes like Amma Vodi, YSR Cheyuta, YSR Asara, Kapu Nestam for the welfare of women by spending around Rs.80000 crores in 21 months of governance.
ii.The state government has provided 50% reservation for women in all nominated posts and works inorder to empower women socially, politically and economically.
Swechha’ Programme:
i.He launched the SWECHHA(freedom)Programme to create awareness about menstrual hygiene among the adolescent girls.
ii.Under this program, the government of AP will provide 10 sanitary napkins per month for every girl students of class 7 to 12 in all government schools, junior colleges and residential institutions in the state from 1st July 2021.
iii.Female teachers and lectures will be identified in each institution to implement the SWECHHA Programme.
iv.The biodegradable, Good quality, branded sanitary napkins will be made available at low cost in Cheyutha grocery stores run by women in urban and rural areas across the state from 1st July 2021.
Jagananna Amma Vodi scheme:
Chief Minister said only 60% of women are literate in the State according to the 2011 Census. In order to resolve this and lower the burden of quality education, the government introduced Jagananna Amma Vodi scheme and spent about ₹13,022 crore in two years and would be providing ₹32,500 crore in five years benefiting over 44.50 lakh mothers and 85 lakh students.
YSR Aasara:
Through YSR Aasara, 87.75 lakh self-help group women were given ₹6,792 crore in 21 months while 24.56 lakh women aged between 45 and 60 years were given ₹4,604 crore under YSR Cheyutha scheme.
Other launches and provisions:
i.He also flagged off the 900 Disha patrolling vehicles and 18 Disha crime scene management vehicles.
ii.Special Disha Police stations have been established in each district of the state to eliminate those who commit crimes against women.
iii.He announced that the casual leaves for women has been increased from 15 to 20.
Recent Related News:
On September 11, 2020 As a step to empower women economically and socially, YS Jaganmohan Reddy, Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh(AP), launched ‘YSR Aasara’ scheme. Under the scheme, AP government will reimburse outstanding bank loans of women Self-Help Groups (SHG) as on April 11, 2019 into their accounts directly in four phases. YSR Aasara is a part of the Navaratna welfare schemes.
About Andhra Pradesh:
Ramsar Sites– Kolleru Lake
Zoological parks– Indira Gandhi Zoological Park, Sri Venkateswara Zoological Park
