Date:12/11/2007 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2007/11/12/stories/2007111251300300.htm

Andhra Pradesh

State committed to uplift Minorities: Minister

Special Correspondent

Arogya Sri Scheme to be launched in Chittoor on December 6

Rs.118 crore earmarked for phase – II of Arogya Sri in five more districts
Galla Aruna Kumari participates in ‘Rajiv Arogya Sri’ awareness programme

Chittoor: The State Government is committed to the empowerment of women and attend to the welfare of the downtrodden and Minorities, said Minister of Medical Education and Health Insurance Galla Aruna Kumari.

Talking to The Hindu here on Sunday, she said that as part of this, several schemes were being implemented to uplift them economically and socially.

Several innovative schemes are being implemented by the Government, which are not on the agenda of any other State across the nation, she said.

In this regard, the Minister cited several schemes under implementation in the State, such as sanction of loans at 3 per cent interest, Indira Kranti Pathakam, Jalla Yagnam and Rajiv Arogya Sri Scheme etc. Under Rajiv Arogya Sri Scheme treatment would be given to white card holders suffering from chronic diseases, free of cost.

Financial assistance of Rs. 226 crore had been sanctioned to 72,000 people under the Chief Minister Relief Fund so far, the Minister said.

Meanwhile in Tirupati, the Minister said ‘Rajiv Arogya Sri’ scheme would be formally launched in Chittoor district by Chief Minister Y.S. Rajasekhar Reddy on December 6. She said that the Government had so far spent about Rs. 34 crore to treat as many as 7,000 cases under the scheme, which is currently under implementation in the State in three districts - Anantapur, Mahabubnagar and Srikakulam in the first phase.

In the second phase, five more districts would be brought under the scheme and Rs.118 crore earmarked for the phase-II districts, the Minister said participating in the ‘Rajiv Arogya Sri’ awareness programme held here on Sunday in the TTD’s Mahati Auditorium. She said health camps would be organised under the scheme in all the villages of the identified districts and the health cards distributed by the end of the month to all the beneficiaries.

The Minister said that following complaints of alleged irregularities, eight corporate hospitals, which were initially engaged for the implementation of the scheme, were taken off.

Besides district Collector S.S. Rawat, legislators - M. Venkatramana (Tirupati), S.C.V. Naidu (Srikalahasti) and Sathyavedu (Narayanaswamy) and Chairman of the Tirupati Urban Development Authority Ch. Bhaskar Reddy were among others who participated in the programme.