According to sources Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister jagan Mohan Reddy on Friday launched the 'YSR Vahana Mitra' welfare scheme in Eluru town of West Godavari district. Meanwhile the scheme provides an annual cash incentive of Rs 10,000 to drivers of autos, taxis and maxi-cabs, who also own their vehicles. Furthermore the amount is meant to meet maintenance expenses, and for obtaining insurance and fitness certificates among other documents and the scheme was a promise made by jagan during his padayatra before the election in the same town.
When addressing the gathering, jagan said, “With the daily earnings of Rs 200 to Rs 500, you people have told me that it was becoming difficult to run the family and meet other vehicle expenses. Perhaps the YSR Vahana Mitra scheme will provide Rs 50,000 to self-employed drivers in the next five years.”
Moreover the state government has also announced that the applications for the scheme would be extended till the end of the month, for those who could not apply on time, while those who have newly obtained vehicles can avail the scheme in November. Apparently out of 1,75,352 applications received for the Vahana Mitra scheme, 1,73,102 drivers had qualified as beneficiaries. Of these beneficiaries, 79,000 belonged to BC, 40,000 to SC, above 6,000 to ST communities. 17,500 of the beneficiaries were from minority groups, while 20,000 were Kapus, 397 Brahmins and 9,995 were from EBC (Economically Backward Class).
