Amaravati: Empowering women economically, socially, and politically has been the motto of YS Jagan Mohan Reddy Government, and this year it was no different.

Right from Volunteers to Mayors, women were given their place of pride with Amma Vodi, YSR Cheyutha, and registering the house sites in the name of the woman of the household has taken empowerment to new heights and raised their standard of living.

Jagananna Amma Vodi, YSR Cheyutha, YSR Aasara, implementation of 50 percent reservation for women in nominated posts and nominate contract works, collaboration with Amul dairy, Disha initiatives and house sites for women beneficiaries are the glaring examples. Women Self Help Groups (SHGs) are being provided financial support under the YSR Zero Interest Loan Scheme.

The Chief Minister strongly believes that if a woman is happy, healthy, and content, the community around her will flourish. Keeping this in mind, the Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister has worked out the dynamics for the economic empowerment of women which include employment, access to money and credit and ownership of assets.

Starting with Jagananna Amma Vodi, this year in June, the State Government disbursed the financial assistance of Rs 6,595 crore directly to the mothers ' accounts of the students studying from classes 1-12. So far, the state government has spent Rs 19,617.53 crore benefiting 44.50 lakh mothers and 82.31 lakh students.

In September, the Chief Minister visited Kuppam and disbursed Rs 4,949.44 financial assistance to 26,39,703 women in the age group of 45-60 years from SC, ST, BC, and other minority sections under YSR Cheyuta for the third consecutive year. Beneficiaries are encouraged to open grocery shops or rear cattle. The government has also collaborated with firms such as Amul, ITC, HUL, and Reliance, besides banks, to enhance business opportunities for the beneficiaries through technical support, training in skills, and providing marketing assistance.

The Chief Minister who is determined to empower the women dairy farmers and make them self-reliant virtually launched 'Jaganna Palavelluva' in Anantapur this January partnering with Amul to help women rear cattle, produce milk and earn money. The government has also signed two MoUs with Amul for the purchase of milk for Balamrutham and Anganwadi Centres.

On the political front, the government has been gender-sensitive and has assigned important portfolios in the cabinet to women. The State has also enacted legislation providing 50 percent reservation to women in all nominated posts, which is a revolutionary step taken by the Chief Minister. Of the total 13 Zilla Parishad chairpersons, seven are women. Among 202 AMC chairpersons, 101 are women. Of the 1154 directors to Corporations and Trusts, 586 are women. All these speak of the government’s commitment to the empowerment of women on the political front.

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